ESUN Outpost 21
by dragongodnietzsche
Summary: This is a retelling of The Thing with Gundam Wing characters. Expect OOC, graphic violence, adult language, adult content, and character death.
1. Default Chapter

ESUN Outpost 21

I do not own Gundam Wing. That is the property of Bandai.

I do not own The Thing or "Who Goes There" which are the property of John Carpenter and John W. Campbell Jr.

This will also contain scenes not in the movie but in the original script, which is the property of Bill Lancaster.

Chapter One: It Begins

The continent of Antarctica was a forbidding place to say the least. The strong winds and subzero weather could kill a man in minutes if not protected properly. However for those who sought to get away from the world it was the place to be.

It had been seven years since the Eve Wars, the memories of which were still prevalent in peoples' minds. The ESUN now controlled the affairs of Earth and its orbital colonies. The pilots and their friends however could not escape their pasts so easily. Many haunted and others hunted by their past deeds found little solace in the world around them and set about living their lives in the one place few would dare to travel.

The ESUN's 21 Research outpost affectionately called "Fort Blizzard" by those that worked there became their home. The outpost was not big but it sufficed for its 14 inhabitants.

The day was clam and peaceful. Wufei and Duo were outside fixing the vehicles while the rest with the exception of Heero were in the rec room. Relena and Sally were enjoying a game of pool, Catherine was listening to some music, Treize and his second in command Lady Une were watching television, Quatre had just brought in plate of cookies he spent the morning working on, and the rest were just sitting on the couch.

Then two loud noises startled everyone.

"The hell was that?" Catherine said taking off her headphones.

"Sounded like gunshots," Trowa said as he rose from the couch.

Treize rushed to the window and noticed a large object hovering in the air. "A VTOL aircraft?"

Outside Wufei and Duo were staring at the hovering aircraft.

"What the hell are they shooting at?" Duo shouted angrily.

"How should I know," Wufei said as it circled around again.

Within minutes the others rushed outside with the exception of Treize who watched from the window.

"What the hell are they doing?" Relena asked the two as she put her gloves on.

Sally watched as the aircraft circled again. "An old Alliance VTOL transport. There is something written on the side."

"What does it say?" Noin asked as it flew past.

"It says ESUN Antarctic Research Program Station 14."

"Station 14? That's over 10 miles away!" Zechs said stunned. 'What business do they have with us?"

"I don't know, but if they're shooting like that then they are after something," Trowa said shivering.

Just then a small explosion hit right in front of the camp and a dog came running. It ran up to Noin and stood behind her. "Huh?" she said confused.

The aircraft landed and two men exited one brandishing an assault rifle. The other dropped something in the snow and frantically searched for it. Another explosion killed the man and destroyed the transport. The other ran towards the crew with his rifle out in front.

"Keep away from it!" he shouted. "It will destroy you all!"

The dog continued to hide behind Noin.

"I'm warning you keep away from it!"

"This guy's nuts," Duo said nervously.

"Please! You have to listen to me! That thing is not what you think it is. It will kill you all! Believe me damn you!"

"Look I don't know what you're here for but this is a serious violation of the rules of operation," Une shouted at the armed man. "You cannot not just barge in here armed and make demands. Now if you would like to sit down and talk…"

"You fool! You do not grasp the severity of the situation! I have to kill that thing!"

Sally walked over to the sub commander. "He's not mentally stable at the moment."

"Goddammit!" the man shouted and opened fire. One of the bullets hit Noin in the leg and she fell to the ground. The others scattered and the man continued his pursuit of the dog. He chased to the main building and opened fire hitting it in the hip. Treize smashed the window and drew his gun. As the man approached the dog he fired and hit the assailant right between the eyes.

Une rushed to Noin's side. 'Lucrezia. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied in pain. Une and Sally helped her to her feet and started back towards the compound.

The others raced towards the burning wreckage. "Somebody get a fire extinguisher!' Wufei shouted as he stood over the remains of the transport. Trowa and Quatre raced back inside. As they entered Treize walked out and threw his parka on. He then joined the others at the wreckage.

The dog stood outside the compound until Dorothy approached. "Poor boy. Lets get you inside and patch you up." She led the dog inside and Quatre and Trowa dashed out with fire extinguishers in their hands.

"Get your asses over here!" Duo shouted at the two men.

Within in minutes the flames were extinguished and the crew perused the burnt remains. Duo approached cautiously and his foot hit something. "Huh?" He pulled a can of kerosene out from the snow. "What did they need this for?"

Trowa and the other searched the ground and found ten more cans. "Now this is interesting," Trowa said as he pulled one out of the snow. "Why did they load this craft up with kerosene and why so much."

"Who knows," Treize said as he looked at wreckage. "This is going to be a long winter."

Inside the camp the crew set about their work. Hilde was busy trying to contact any nearby outpost in the radio room. "This is ESUN 21. I repeat this ESUN 21 do you read me over." She shook her head and noticed Relena in the room with her.

"Reach anybody."

"No. And we're probably not going to."

"We have to report this Schbeiker."

"I haven't been able to reach anybody on this goddamn continent in two weeks and you're demanding I reach someone. Go bang Heero or something you pain in the ass bitch. Oh sorry that's right. You dumped him. Well his shack isn't too far so maybe you can catch up on some quality time. But for right now stay the hell off my back!"

"Like Duo's any better. All he does is get stoned and screw around all day. You two make a perfect pair. A couple of lazy asses." The former vice foreign minister spouted.

"At least Duo isn't drinking himself to death like a certain ex-perfect soldier we know.'

"Why you…"

"Both of you shut up!" Une shouted as she entered the room. "Hilde have you reached anybody yet?"

"No ma'am."

"Stick with it. Relena, Sally wants both you and your brother in the lab. Zechs is on his way now."

"Yes ma'am." Une and Relena left the room.

"Thank God." Hilde sighed with relief.

In the lab Wufei and Treize stared at the dead gunman while Sally stitched up Noin's leg. Zechs walked in from the lab with a document in his hand.

"Ouch!"

"Relax it just grazed you so you only need two. Of course I could give you shot if you think that will help."

"No thanks. Sally why do you think they were chasing the dog?"

"I don't know. Possibly the isolation got to them."

"Zechs how long were they stationed there?" Treize asked.

"About six weeks," Zechs replied.

"That's not a long time but not enough to drive someone nuts."

Quatre poked his head in the room. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I mean Duo's been high since he came here," the young cook laughed.

"Piss off!" Duo said as he glared at Quatre and then lit a joint. "Oh yeah. That's some good shit."

"Hell if you have a couple of annoying bitches with you its possible to go mad in six hours," Wufei said stoically.

"WUFEI CHANG!" Sally and Noin shouted together.

"I'm just speaking the truth that's all."

"Yeah right," Noin said as she stormed past him.

"However I think we should investigate." Sally said as he approached Treize.

"In this weather?! Are you insane?" the station commander shouted.

"Noin?" Sally said turning towards their meteorologist.

"It'll be calming down soon."

"By how much?" Treize asked.

"A little bit," she replied

"A little bit? That doesn't say much."

'Its only an hour here and back commander."

"Hey I'll take you Sally," Duo said as he put out his joint.

"Not a chance Maxwell."

Duo sat back down and glared at Treize. Trowa entered the room and noticed everybody standing. "Whats up?"

"Trowa Barton. You seem to have a knack for showing up at the right time. Go fetch Yuy for me will you."

"Heero!" Sally shouted surprised. "Why him?"

"He's our best VTOL pilot," Treize replied.

"Forget it commander. Heero's hibernating or something in that shack of his and I dare not arouse him from his slumber. He'd shoot me or something. Besides knowing him he's probably smashed so Duo will have to go."

"Trowa you the man!" Duo shouted as he got up. "Damn my hands are friggin huge."

"Relax Relena disarmed him armed a month ago so he has no weapons other than empty liquor bottles. What are you afraid of Barton? That you'll find him in their smashed and shouting at those video games of his or finding him jerking off while staring at a porno magazine? Please tell me?" Treize sneered at Trowa knowing he could not think of a suitable answer.

"Fine I'll get him. But if I die I'm coming back to haunt you." Trowa then stormed out.

"Stupid threat," Treize laughed.

In the small shack located in the eastern end of the outpost Heero Yuy, former Gundam pilot and perfect soldier, sat in front of a T.V. screen shouting as he played a video game. "Come on. Yeah that's it! Just twenty more and I can get the rocket launcher." He took some ice from his small fridge and deposited a few cubes in glass. He then began to fill the glass with brandy. "Come on baby!"

The temperature in the shack was relatively warm since Heero preferred warmer weather. Treize used to scream at him for turning the temperature up too high. Treize also complained about the fact Heero rarely every cleaned the place up. His sleeping bag, which he used when he did not want to sleep in the main building, was sprawled all over the floor. Posters of tropical places and centerfolds lined the walls. Relena used to constantly complain about his walls as she found some of the centerfolds offensive. Heero said he would replace them if Relena gave him some erotic pictures of herself to use instead. Of course he was drunk at the time and she promptly slapped him.

Heero's drinking stemmed from the war. He had a hard time letting go of his past. He found alcohol could numb his pain so he took up the bottle. However he learned his quick solution had some drawbacks. First was that Relena left him after he had alcohol poisoning. That was when she began to study biology and proved herself to be one of the best in the field. She got a PhD in five years since she attended school year round. Heero worked for the Preventors for a while but soon found it could not quell the nightmares of his past. It was then he found out Treize was still alive and managed an outpost in Antarctica. He had been there ever since.

"Alright. Sorry babe but you lose to today." Heero resumed his game with a glass in hand. "Poor bastard you thought you had me but I proved you wrong huh?" Then a loud electronic explosion filled the area. "WHAT? You son of a bitch. You cheating prick!" He threw his drink at the console. "Take that you cheating piece of shit!"

The door opened and Trowa entered. He noticed Heero fuming and swearing at the video game console. "I don't think it understands you." The pilot turned towards his visitor bottle in hand.

"The hell do you want?"

"Damn its hot in here," Trowa said as he took off his coat. He then saw the pilot approach the game console again.

"I'll kill you!" he shouted as he pummeled the machine.

"Are you drunk?"

"Not yet. Why are you here Barton?"

"Get your stuff on"

"You're kidding me aren't you?"

"Nope. Commander Treize's orders."

"I don't care if it comes from the fucking prime minister of ESUN I'm not going out there."

"Fine Maxwell will go instead."

"What? You'd send that pothead out."

"Only if you refuse."

"Damn it. Fine. Tell Treize I said this was a bad idea."

Back in the camp Dr. Sally Po was getting her medical bag ready. "Relena we'll start the autopsy when I get back.'

"Yes."

Dorothy then rushed in. "Hey Sally. The bullet's in really deep so can I borrow some of your surgical tools.'

"Just as long as you wash them off with alcohol and put them in the autoclave when you're done."

"Thanks."

"Well I got to go." Sally then walked out.

"Dorothy?"

"Yes Relena?"

"Why do you insist on taking care of the dogs? I just don't see you as the type."

"When my dad was alive he used to have hunting dogs and I used to play with them. When he died nobody watched over them except for me. Unfortunately when they died we didn't get any more. So I treat these dogs as if they were my own."

"Well it's a good thing the dogs have such a devoted caretaker."

Heero approached the VTOL aircraft grumbling. He did not want to go out in this weather but he did not want to have Duo killing the station's only doctor with his reckless flying. He pulled his hood over his head and place a wool cap on top of it. He turned and found Treize and Sally walking towards him. "Out of the cave at last," Treize laughed.

"Treize Kushrenada! You have some nerve sending Trowa to get me out here to fly in this shit."

"Quit you're whining Yuy. This is going to let up a bit so you'll be fine."

Heero glared at Treize angrily and wished Relena had not taken his gun from a while back. The thought of shooting the commander felt good to him. "Heero I'm sorry this was my idea," Sally said as she stepped between him and Treize. "I'm just curious to see how the men at Station 14 are faring."

"No problem doc. It's just going to be risky."

"Now would you please go before the weather gets worse," Treize said as he started to rub his hands.

Inside the compound Catherine watched as the VTOL craft began to take off. "So he's actually going through with it. I'm surprised he and Treize didn't get into a fight."

Duo approached her and stopped beside her. "Maybe Heero wised up or something."

The trip was not difficult but Heero still hated the conditions. Sally had a bad habit of trying to help people even if it put others in danger. However Heero was not about to refuse her a ride to Station 14 just because he was in a bad mood. He looked at the white landscape and suddenly noticed a pillar of smoke. "Sally, look at that."

Sally looked down at the smoke and saw the remains of an outpost. "Looks like we found it Heero."

"What the hell happened there? It looks like they were bombed."

"Lets go in for a closer look."

"Okay doc but I don't think you'll find too many survivors if there are any in the first place." Heero then took the craft down and was shocked by the extent of the damage. He had seen ruins like it before during the war but this made no sense. There were no wars after ESUN came into existence except for the Marimeia incident the following year but no bombings. Besides it was against the treaty to have military forces in Antarctica.

The craft landed and Sally departed followed by Heero with a carbine in his one hand and a flashlight in the other. "Lets get moving. It'll be dark soon and we won't be able to return until morning. On top of that this does not look like a place to spend the night." Sally nodded and they entered.

"Hello anybody there?" Sally called out.

"Hey anybody home?" Heero said as he looked around the darkened building.

They began to walk down the charred corridors finding no signs of life. Then they came to door that looked as if something was trying to tear it open. "What could have done this?" Sally asked perplexed.

"Beats the hell out of me," Heero said as he pushed the door open.

The room they entered appeared to be lab lined with testing equipment and containers. Heero aimed his light on the test tube racks and smashed computers. Sally moved further into the room until she felt something could against her. She turned her light on it and froze. "Heero. Get over here." He walked towards Sally as she motioned him forward. "Look at this."

Heero gazed upon a frozen corpse with a deep gash in its neck and large cut in its wrist. Heero felt his stomach drop. "What the fuck?"

"Lets look at the last few rooms," Sally said as she opened the door. The room was exposed to the outside and papers were strewn about the floor. Sally bent over and picked up some of the papers. "This might prove useful."

Heero noticed something on the table. "DVR. Its in good shape too."

"We'll take it back with us," Sally said as she collected the papers. She found a picture of the men stationed at the outpost on the table. It seemed strange as they all appeared happy but from what she could put together something terrible happened here.

"I'm going to check the last room," Heero said as he opened the door. Sally continued to collect the papers until she heard Heero shouting. "Hey Sally come here." She grabbed the DVR and walked into the last room. There she found Heero standing against a large slab of ice with the center dug or melted out. She was awestruck.

Wasting no time they returned outside. "What was in that ice?" Sally asked as they returned to the VTOL.

"I don't know," Heero said and then noticed something in the snow. Sally soon followed him. Past a can of kerosene was what appeared to be a body.

"What in the world?"

Back at the station Dorothy had just finished patching up the dog and had retired in the rec room. "Damn that bullet was in deep. It took me a while to get it out."

Duo and Catherine were watching TV on the large plasma screen. "Hope Heero and Sally get back soon," said Catherine.

"Ah relax they'll be fine." Duo said taking out a joint and passing it to Catherine.

In the greenhouse area Wufei was checking on his and Duo's investment. "How are my little babies today?" he said monitoring the growth of the marijuana plants. "Ah good. Some Mozart will help you out," he said as he turned on the stereo. "There you go." He then noticed the dog. "The hell are you doing here? Get lost! The last thing I need is you pissing on my plants." The dog left. "Good. Dorothy needs to keep those things locked up."

In the radio room Hilde was dozing off. She had been trying unsuccessfully and against all odds to reach someone but to no avail. It was as if they were completely cut off. "Hey." She turned a weary eye to find Treize standing there in his robe. "Get anybody?"

Hilde yawned. "No. Its as if we're the last people on earth."

"Go get some rest." That was one thing Hilde and Treize both agreed on.

Meanwhile the VTOL returned to the station with something wrapped in plastic.


	2. Chapter 2: Night of Terror

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 2: Night of Terror

Heero and Sally returned just before dark and found a small group comprised of Duo, Catherine, Trowa, and Noin standing outside. As they exited the vehicle Duo ran up to Heero. "So what did you find?"

"I'm not really sure. The place was a wreck. It looked like someone decided to bomb the place. Glad that they didn't make it inside our camp," Heero said as he turned towards the plastic.

"Whats that?" Catherine asked as she approached.

"To be honest we have no clue," said Sally as she adjusted her scarf.

"I'll go inform Lady Une so in the meanwhile you guys bring that into the lab," Noin said and headed back inside.

The three men picked up the plastic bag as Catherine and Sally led the way. Duo grumbled at the weight and Heero shook his head.

"Whats the smell?" Trowa said as he began to sniff the air.

"Yeah. Its nasty," Duo said gagging.

"Quit bitching and keep moving." Heero said as they approached the entrance.

Treize had a hard time sleeping. The day's events were still on his mind. Why did they come here and what was the deal with that dog? They sure as hell wanted it dead. But why? Hopefully Heero and Sally found something. He then turned on his side only to be greeted by bright light.

"Mr. Treize I am here to inform you that Yuy and Dr. Po have returned and they brought something I think you might like to see," Lady Une said as she entered his room. "Am I disturbing your rest sir?"

"No. I haven't been able to sleep anyway. Where are they now?"

"In the rec room sir. Heero is requesting some AV equipment. They found a DVR at the station that may shed some light on the incident earlier today."

"Good. I'm going to get dressed. Tell them I'll be there in ten minutes if not earlier."

"Yes sir." She then walked out of the room.

Wondered what they found there? Well only one way to find out. Treize got out of bed.

Heero got the DVR running and a large group filled the room. Quatre, and Dorothy were the only ones not present. "This is one of the things we found in the ruins of Station 14," Heero said as he started the video. The TV screen showed about six men in artic clothing walking around drilling into the ice.

"So they do the same things we do," Duo laughed. "I don't see how this is important?"

"It just started so give it time!" the pilot retorted.

The men kept marking the location in the ice and taking more core samples.

"How is this going to be any help?" Catherine said as she yawned.

"How much is on the tape?" asked Lady Une.

"Probably 8 hours," Sally replied.

"Did you find anything else?" Treize asked disappointed.

"As a matter of fact we did. Its in the lab." With that the group headed to the lab and were joined by Quatre and Dorothy along the way.

They gathered around the operating table where the plastic bag lay.

"Lets open it." Treize said and Heero unzipped the large bag. Once opened a large cloud of smoke filled the room full of the stench of burnt flesh. Most of the crew coughed.

"My God." Catherine said as she gazed upon the hideous creature.

The monstrosity's skin was bright red no doubt from being burned. In the lower portion appeared to be the remains of pants. The creatures' limbs were long and sinewy. Its fingers were long and boney on the one hand and on the other appeared to be a glob of flesh with small spikes sticking out. The toes were long and curved like claws. But the most hideous sight of all was the freakish being's face. Contorted in way that seemed to be impossible and its composition resembled that of silica gel.

Relena tried to control her coughing and approached the table. "This is both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. I have never seen a morphological structure like this before. Of course I wonder what its insides are like."

"Well you're going to find out. You and Zechs are going to assist me in the autopsy," Sally said as she faced Relena.

Zechs couldn't believe his eyes. "I have never seen anything like this."

"Well now that that's settled I think we should all have dinner. Quatre?"

"It'll be ready in a few minutes."

The group began to leave with the exception of Relena. "Are you coming Miss Relena or should bring a tray here for you?" the blond cook asked.

"No I'll be right in." Relena followed him out of the room.

The mess hall was awfully quiet. The day's events still weighed heavily on the crew's minds as they enjoyed their meal. It wasn't long before everyone went back to work or to bed.

In the lab Relena, Zechs, and Sally were conducting autopsies. Sally began to cover the body of the crazed gunman with a sheet. "This guy is perfectly fine, well in reference to his physical health. No signs of intoxication but his mental health is still unaccounted for. Zechs have you finished those test yet?"

Zechs sat at one of the lab tables examining a rack of test tubes as he entered data into the computer. "Nothing unusual here."

Meanwhile Relena started to work on the deformed body. She held a scalpel in her gloved hands and began to wonder which incision to make first. She settled for one in the lower abdomen and began to slowly take out organs. "Well let's see. Heart. Lungs. Kidney. Liver. Spleen. Even intestines. Hm. Despite this guy's physical appearance he has normal human internal organs in rather good shape too might I add. In regards to age…well let's see…take into account the burns…. Ah! Around thirty years old."

Zechs approached and began to take tissue samples. "So he's human sis?"

"From what I can make of it," she replied.

"Well look on the bright side. We'll probably get recognition for this find," Sally laughed.

Zechs placed the samples under the microscope and started the program. His jaw dropped when he saw the visual. "Relena. Can you come over here?"

She removed her bloody gloves and approached her older brother. "What is it?"

"I've never seen cells like these. No organelles or at least ones I know of."

"I see what you mean." Intrigued Sally walked over to them. "I have to admit brother I am at loss on this on."

"No kidding. I have never seen anything like this and I am up to date on most cytology and microbiological journals." Sally said in awe.

"What have we found? This cell structure makes no sense."

"I don't think it has to."

"What are you getting at Relena?" Sally asked as she turned towards the young biologist.

"I remember one of my professor's mentioning something about how cells from other worlds might be structured when I was working on my doctorate. He mentioned they might very well defy everything we know in regards to cytology and histology. I wonder if these are not of terrestrial origin?"

"What are you saying? You just said the body was human!" Zechs exclaimed as he turned towards his sister.

"Its just a hypothesis so relax. I'm saying right now I don't know. It looks human. Has human structure although a bit deformed and human organs. Yet its cell structure is not human or like anything on earth for that matter. What could it be?"

Meanwhile in the rec room Noin, Catherine, Trowa, and Duo were relaxing to game of cards while Treize, Dorothy and Lady Une were playing a game of pool. All was quiet until Noin felt something brush up against her leg. "AH!!" She looked under the table to find the wounded dog under there. "Dorothy! Put this dog into the kennel."

Dorothy walked over. "Okay." She then began to pet the dog. "Come on fella we can't have you bothering others." She and the dog then left the rec room.

"I can't believe she didn't put it away yet." Treize said as he took his shot.

"It was injured so she probably wanted to calm it down first." Lady Une said as lined up her shot.

Halfway down the hall Dorothy saw Relena coming from the lab. The dog ran up to Relena. "Bad boy! Down. Geez. Why do dogs act like some men I know?" she said as she removed the dog from Relena.

"So how's our guest faring."

"Fine" Dorothy said as she scratched behind its ears. "Its like he was never shot."

"How's you research on animal behavior in arctic weather progressing?"

"Slowly. Good thing I don't have to have any reports due any time soon."

"Well good night." Relena said as she yawned and walked away.

Later that night Heero was wandering through the main building bored out of his mind. He finally settled down in the deserted rec room. Noin and Zechs were talking in the lab. Duo and Wufei were in their room watching videos and smoking weed. Trowa was in his room examining the latest result from the day's magnetic readings. Quatre was in the kitchen cleaning the pots. Dorothy was asleep in her room. Sally was cleaning instruments in the lab. Hilde was in the hall walking to her room to go to sleep. Treize and Lady Une were busy deciding on what to do about the day's events in the mess hall. Relena was just climbing into bed as her roommate Catherine leaves the room.

In the rec room Heero is pouring himself a glass of scotch. As the amber liquid fills the glass he ponders what to do. He notices the DVR on the table. "What the hell." He turns on the DVR and the T.V.

Heero fast-forwards past the part they watched earlier. "Lets see about five hours left I'd say. That ought to cure my insomnia." He watched as the men approached a large snow bank with disgust. "Ah for crying out loud! There's nothing but snow out there. Why are they so enthusiastic about some pile of white precipitation." He downed his drink and poured another glass.

One hour passed and Heero was still not asleep but bored. He grumbled as the six man team drilled for core samples in the ice for umpteenth time. "This has got to be the dumbest idea I ever had since Duo talked me into that drinking contest." He remembered that painful event all too well. He and Duo were at a bar and some biker named Ned started talking about how he could out drink anyone in the bar. Of course Duo opened his big mouth and caught the big lug's attention. Heero laughed as the huge man challenged Duo to a drinking contest. Of course Duo being who he was refused to drink so the big asshole threatened to pummel him. Heero then said he'd take up the challenge in Duo's stead. Big mistake. After the first couple drinks Heero was fine and the next three shots made him a bit tipsy. But after his thirteenth glass he was totally out of it. It took one more to beat the pain in the ass and unfortunately that was what got him sent to the hospital. Duo dragged him out of the bar and into a cab. Playing the Good Samaritan Duo took him to the hospital and stayed with him in the emergency room. Later the next day he woke up to find a relieved Duo and a furious Relena. Trying to be hero did not turn out as he expected

Of course there were also Relena's own opinion on the matter. "Heero Yuy. What the fuck were you thinking?!" It was the only time he ever heard the former pacifist queen of the world use that particular four-letter word. Of course he couldn't blame her after all he nearly died of alcohol poisoning. She left him as soon as he got out of the hospital. They did not meet again until she starting working at the outpost. Of course she still did not forgive for that act of blatant stupidity. It had been three years since that event and still she would not let go.

Heero's reminiscing was soon interrupted by footsteps. He turned to find Catherine standing in the doorway. "Shouldn't you be in your shack?"

"Its too cold to go out now. Besides I'm bored so I thought I'd watch this video."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go right ahead,' he said as he moved over on the couch. She sat down and picked up the bottle of scotch. "Help yourself. Theres glasses behind the bar."

Catherine walked over to the bar and retrieved a glass. She then returned to the couch and poured herself a glass of scotch. She noticed Heero closely examining the video. 'Anything wrong?"

"Hm. This is a new area. What the hell?"

"What is it?"

"Look at that. Do you see that shape in the ice?"

"Yeah it looks kind of strange. What do you think it is?"

"I have no idea," he said edging closer to the screen. "So what are you guys doing now?"

"Looks like they're planting explosives.'

'Yeah. Question is what type. Doesn't appear to be any type of high explosive. Maybe an ice softener like thermite?"

An explosion rocks the video. Heero and Catherine watch as a massive explosion engulfs the ice.

"What the hell was that?" she asked confused.

"It blew up? Most have been a reaction of some kind."

Catherine notices the men looking at something in the ice. "Heero?"

"Yeah I see it. Looks like that block Sally and I found."

"Wonder what was in it?"

Just then the sound of dogs barking fills the room. "Goddammit!" Heero shouted as he stormed out of the room and into the hallway. He proceeded down to Dorothy's room and entered to find the girl asleep. "Dorothy your mutts are barking."

She didn't respond and Heero grew infuriated. "Dorothy Catalonia! Get out of bed and do something about your damn dogs!"

Dorothy opened her eyes to find a very pissed off Heero Yuy standing over her. "Alright. Hold your horses grandpa." She got out of bed and threw her heavy coat on. She then left her room and proceeded to the kennel.

Dorothy walked sleepily towards the kennel. She yawned as she opened the door. Inside she was greeted by loud barking. I hope they aren't fighting again she thought as she moved further in. The last fight involved her staying up all night patching wounds, which she did not find appealing enough to repeat.

As she got closer to the barking she began to notice the barks were ones of fear. Worried about the safety of her canine charges she bolted for the door of the wire pen. As she approached it two of the dogs ran out knocking her to the ground. As she got up another ran past her. As she approached the door she heard a hissing noise followed by what sounded like rustling. As she approached the opening she saw a large silhouette in the back of the pen. Dorothy was terrified. She had felt such terror before during the war when she heard Treize had died, which later turned out to be a clever deception. Of course the only thing that she could remember that even came close to the feeling she now felt was when she was very young and the power went out in her home. She walked around in the dark and then came a loud bang, which sent her under a table. Fortunately it was just one of the servants who bumped his knee off a trashcan.

She slowly began to enter the pen when something slithered across the ground and startled her. She ran out and locked the door. She saw a long tentacle or similar appendage slam into the door. The rustling gave way to an inhuman growl. Dorothy screamed.

Heero entered the kitchen and turned on the lights. He opened the fridge and removed a large can of beer. "Now that's what I'm talking about." He was just about to leave when he heard a loud growl followed by a loud scream. Wasting no time he pulled the fire alarm and dashed out.

As he ran towards the armory Treize and Lady Une stopped him. "What is going on?" the station commander asked.

"Screaming and growling from the kennel. Dorothy's in there." He then ran past. "I'm going for a gun."

"I think I'll get one too." Lady Une said as she chased after Heero.

"I'll meet you both in the kennel." Treize yelled. He removed his pistol and cocked it.

In the Kennel Dorothy stood by the entrance in fear. She jumped as the door opened to reveal Treize brandishing a pistol and flashlight and Heero and Lady Une carrying carbines.

"Whats going on?" Heero asked anxiously.

"I don't know but its got at least three of the dogs. We have to hurry," she replied.

"What is it?"

'Its like something out of a nightmare in there Heero."

Just then Noin entered. "Whats going on?"

"Never mind that. Noin find Wufei and tell him to bring the flamethrower."

"Gotcha." Noin then raced back down the hall.

The hallway was a buzz with confusion as everyone rushed to get his or her heavy clothes on.

"Hilde did you set of the smoke alarm again?" Duo asked as he pulled a pair of pants over his thermal underwear.

"No. Maybe it was you ya stupid stoner," she retorted.

Noin race down the hall and into to Wufei's room. The mechanic was just pulling his vest on as she entered. "Wufei," she said trying to catch her breath.

"What is it?" she asked annoyed.

"Heero said he needs the flamethrower and he needs it right now."

"What? Why the hell…"

"Move it!" she shouted and ran off.

"Argh!" he said as he dashed out of the room.

In the kennel Heero and Lady Une gradually approached the pen guns in hand. Treize was right behind them with his pistol and Dorothy grabbed an axe. The outside door opened to reveal the others minus Wufei entering with Trowa, Zechs, and Quatre carrying fire extinguishers. "Stay back you guys."

"What the hell is in there Heero?" Zechs asked.

Relena tried to edge closer but Heero noticed her. "I told you to stay back!"

"I just want to see."

"We don't even know what the hell it is? Damn it! Isn't Wufei here yet?"

"He's coming Heero," Noin shouted.

Heero motioned for Relena to back off and she did. Grabbing a flashlight with his one hand he opened the pen and peered inside. Inside he saw the most revolting sign he had ever seen. In the back corner of the pen appeared to be what looked like two dogs fused together except it was as if the skin had been peeled away. Blood soaked the floor and what at first appeared to be intestines were piled on the floor. However the organs on the floor turned out to be some sort of tentacle like appendage, which darted out and wrapped around one of the dogs. Heero shined the light to his left to see something that appeared insect like in its appearance with arachnid legs and screeching like a mantis. Heero stood in disbelief and Relena ran back towards the others.

"God in heaven," Treize said in horror.

Heero set the mode selector on his carbine to automatic and aimed. "I'm going to shoot," he said.

"NO!!" Dorothy yelled and lunged into the pen in a desperate attempt to rescue the dogs.

"DOROTHY!! Get out of there you idiot!" Heero yelled.

"Dorothy!" Lady Une shouted as she got into position to fire.

"Leave them alone!" Dorothy shouted and swung her axe at the hideous creature. But before the blade could make contact one of the creature's tentacles shot out and knocked her to the ground. Another wrapped around her pant leg."

"Dorothy!" Relena screamed as she ran to the pen with Quatre right behind her."

"Hold on," Quatre said as he took her hand.

Dorothy grabbed the axe and brought it down hard on the offending tentacle. The creature screamed in agony and let go. Using the blade she scraped the tentacle fragment off of her pants. Quatre then pulled her to safety. "Quatre?"

"Shh. Heero and the others will handle it from here," he said trying to reassure her. She passed out in his arms.

"Alright lets frag this bastard!" Heero yelled. He opened fire and a burst from his gun tore into the creature's flesh resulting in inhuman wailing of the most terrible kind. Lady Une and Treize followed suit. The abomination tried desperately to escape and shot tentacles out all over the place. Some latched onto the ceiling and it began to lift itself up. "Oh no you don't!" Heero yelled as he changed the magazine. He fired at the tentacles severing them and sending the beast crashing to the floor.

"Yuy you're barely scratching it," Treize said and ceased firing.

Lady Une ceased firing as well. "You can stop Heero. The bullets aren't really hurting it. All you are doing is wasting ammo."

"Damn it," Heero said and stopped firing. "Where the hell is Wufei and the flamethrower?!"

Just then the door opened and Wufei entered with the flamethrower. "Yuy, you have some nerve making lug this thing out here."

"Well it's about fucking time! Get over here and torch this hellish freak will ya!"

Wufei approached the pen and was disgusted by the hideous entity within. "What the hell…is that?"

"Never mind that. Just burn it already!"

Wufei turned the valve and aimed the flamethrower at the creature. He pulled the trigger and a stream of fire soon engulfed the monster, which howled in agony as the flames seared its flesh.

"Hit it again!" Heero shouted.

Wufei let loose another stream and the howling stopped. Heero and Wufei then backed off allowing Quatre, Trowa, and Zechs to enter and extinguish the flames. Clouds of carbon dioxide soon smothered the fire filling the pen with smoke thick with the scent of burning flesh.

Relena ran into the pen to examine the remains. "Get this to the lab on the double. Use protective gear when handling this thing."

"You heard her guys. Fetch a stretcher and some protective clothes." Treize ordered.

Heero stood there in disbelief with Wufei beside him. "What the hell was that thing?"

"I don't know," Heero replied. "But it sure as hell was not a dog."


	3. Chapter 3: The Mystery Deepens

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 3: The Mystery Deepens.

Relena stood at the door of the kennel supervising Duo and Catherine, both wearing heaving aprons and gloves as they lifted the charred remains of the creature onto a stretcher. She still could not believe the previous night's events. Where did this thing come from? What it was it? Those were just a few of the questions that filled her head in regards to the revolting spectacle she witnessed.

"Well that does it," Duo said as they placed it on the stretcher.

'Good. Remove the gear you are wearing and wash you hands thoroughly. Later we'll disinfect this place." With that Relena walked out of the kennel.

"What the hell is this thing?" Catherine said starring at the remains.

"I haven't a clue," Duo said and began to push the stretcher out of the kennel.

In the mess hall Heero, Trowa, and Wufei were sitting at one of the tables discussing what they saw. "Geez. How many dogs did it get?" Wufei asked sipping a cup of coffee.

"Three. Dorothy is not going to like that news," said Trowa.

"Bullets didn't phase that thing. Fortunately the flamethrower did. Maybe we need to get out the incendiary shells," Heero said as he leaned back in the chair.

"Good thing you told me to get it. Well thank God its dead now."

"Relena's going to have a field day with this one, right Heero?"

"Trowa, I believe I speak for Heero as well when I say let the bitch do whatever she wants."

"You know it's surprising you have a hard time finding women. You have such a charming personality Wufei."

"Can it Barton!"

"Both of you shut up!" Heero said as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Man. No sleep really does a number to you Heero."

"Its an injustice I say. That we were forced to deal with that freak last night."

"Sorry that it ruined the little stoner party you and Duo have every other night."

"Screw you Barton!"

"Enough! I have a headache and your bickering is only making it worse."

"A headache? Don't you mean a hangover?"

"No. I only had two glasses before the whole mess with the dogs began. Besides it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Catherine finished the last of the scotch as we watched the video. Hm."

"Yuy! What did you do with my sister?!" Trowa inquired angrily.

"Go Heero! You're moving up the ladder now. Catherine is much sexier than Relena."

"Wufei. Stay the hell out of this!" The physicist shouted.

"It wasn't like that." Heero said and was lost in thought. "That scene in the video."

"You don't have to hide it Heero. I dream of Trowa's sister as well."

"You what?"

"That red head has a great…"

"Chang. If you say another word I'll…"

"Ooo. This sounds interesting," Hilde said as she entered the room. "Now you were saying."

"Heero and Catherine were alone together last night."

"Really. Duo owes me fifty bucks. He bet Heero could never get another girl and this proves him wrong."

"All of you shut up! Nothing happened last night. We sat on the couch and watched the video on the DVR. Then the dogs started barking and you all know the rest. Now as I was saying prior to being interrupted there was something on the video we saw last night that I think all of you should see."

Meanwhile in the lab Relena and Zechs began the autopsy of the thing that was in the kennel. "Weight 120 kilos, presumably the combined weight of three dogs and whatever that thing was. Height approximately 1meter." Relena dictated as Zechs recorded the data in the computer.

She then proceeded with an incision into the charred flesh. "Lets see here." She cut deep into the rubbery flesh and started to peel it away. She noticed what appeared to be a leg. "My God." She cut deeper and found what appeared to be the contorted face of dog stripped of skin. "What…the…hell is this?"

Zechs looked at it as well. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Looks like it. Start analyzing its chemical make up. I'm going to call Treize and let him know."

In the small infirmary next to the lab Dorothy was lying on a bed with Quatre and Sally watching over her. She opened her eyes and looked around. "Where am I?"

"Relax you're safe," Quatre replied.

"Are the dogs?"

"It got three of them." Tears formed in Dorothy's eyes. "I'm sorry. Its dead now if that makes you fell any better."

"Who killed it?"

"Heero, Treize, and Lady Une hit it with about fifty rounds and Wufei torched it."

She got up and stumbled. "Take it easy. That thing threw you pretty hard," Sally said as she helped her up.

Before noon everyone assemble in the lab around the table where the remains where kept. Dorothy tried to keep her anger inside.

"I am going to be honest with you. What I am about to say is going to sound far fetched but bear with me." Relena said as she approached the table. "This organism is remarkable being in that it can assume the form of any living creature that it assimilates into itself. Whatever it ingests it can assume the form of. A shape changer is probably the best way to describe it. Last night it attacked our dogs and in attempted to absorb them into it's being and as a result become three dogs."

"Now wait a minute Darlian. I know you said it would sound far fetched but that is impossible." Sally said in disbelief.

"Yet if you look at this beast you can see three dogs, can you not? It was even factoring in the weight of them as well as the combined weight of this mass of hideous tissue is 120 kilos and that includes the extra tissue it used to capture the dogs." She pointed out a piece that resembled a dog's face complete with fur. "This is not dog but a copy. Yet it appears to us to be a dog from the kennel."

"But how does it do that?" Treize asked scratching his head.

"I'm glad you asked that," she replied. "The body Heero and Sally brought back yesterday actually provided a clue. During the autopsy I noticed that the organs were exactly as they would be in a human body. Yet the cell structure was not human. It appeared human but was actually quite different. Organelles were absent and in their place structures I had never seen before. In a chemical analysis we found nothing though. However this body has exactly the same cell structure except it is made to appear as if it were a dog's cell. But since we caught it in the act of transforming it didn't get to complete its assimilation and we got a surprise when we analyzed the chemical make up. Carbon and silicon were present but some other elements completely unknown to us were prevalent as well. Somehow it can even change its chemical make up, which must aid it in transformation. The unknown elements were found in the part which resembles an insect so I believe it was actually trying to absorb and fight at the same time."

"What do you mean?" Wufei asked confused.

"The insect creature was obviously a form it assumed in order to attack to the dogs," Relena replied as she turned towards the crowd. "In fact I am willing to bet it was also another creature it absorbed in the past. Somehow it can call on any form it wishes whenever it needs to. Probably due to something in its genetic make up which is to say the least the most unbelievable thing I have ever seen."

"Why is that?" asked Lady Une.

"First it is not a helix structure. Second the number of base pairs is incalculable."

"Well thank God its dead," Duo said as he stared at it.

"Yeah," Relena said as she stared it.

In the kennel Dorothy was rubbing one of the dogs in an attempt to keep it calm as Relena drew blood. "Good boy its all over now." She turned to Relena. "So the pen is clean?"

"Yes. Zechs and Duo washed it down with an industrial strength disinfectant after the body was removed," the biologist replied. Relena put the blood samples in a case and stood up. "Dorothy."

"Yes?"

"Did the dog display any aberrant behavior?"

"No. It acted just like any other dog."

"How long were you alone with it?"

"About two hours."

"When did you lock it up?"

"Last night."

"Hm."

"What are getting at?"

"Nothing. Just some silly thought." She then left the kennel.

In the rec room Heero and the others were watching the video. Relena and Dorothy enter and to find all eyes glued to the screen. "So what did you find?"

"Its up ahead," Catherine said as she turned towards them.

"There!" Heero shouted and pointed at the object in the ice.

"Well I'll be." Treize said as he went for a closer look. "Now they're planting explosives."

"Looks like they used too much," Duo laughed.

"What's that in the ice?" Lady Une asked and pointed at the lower section of the screen.

"That's the block of ice Heero and I found at Station 14," Sally replied.

"Well that settles it. We need to go have a look at that location," Heero said zipping up his jacket.

"Heero the winds are pretty nasty out there around 30 knots," Noin said as she read the equipment.

"That ain't stopping me!" Heero then took off with Duo, Trowa, and Lady Une not far behind him.

In the VTOL Heero and the small expeditionary group looked down at the arctic wasteland looking for the location in the video. They soon found it and descended. It appeared as if a massive crater was in the ice and at the bottom some metallic object. Trowa and Heero climbed down while Lady Une and Duo waited up top.

"I'll be damned. A flying saucer," Heero laughed.

"Definitely not any shuttle or battleship I've seen." Trowa said as he walked closer. "Hm. Its about 150,00 years old or even twice as old."

"You're kidding right?"

"Sorry Heero this thing has been frozen for quite a while."

Duo soon motioned them over about ten meters away where Lady Une was staring at something. "Look at this." She said and pointed at a large hole in the ice.

"Well we now know where it came from."

"Great an alien," Heero grumbled.

Back at the station the group with the exception of Quatre and Dorothy were in the rec room examining the pieces of the craft Heero and the others brought back.

"So this thing is an alien huh? Heero have you been in the stash of weed Duo and Wufei keep?" Treize said as he picked up a chunk of metal.

"There's the evidence you be the jury," Heero replied downing a drink.

"But Heero what you are saying is impossible. In cryogenics the longer something is frozen the greater the risk of cell damage as ice forms in the cells rupturing them. A few hours is fine but for millennia… That's impossible." Zechs protested.

"Yet this thing is biological anomaly isn't it."

Zechs sighed.

Wufei turned towards Heero. "You have been hanging around Relena to much lately. You're starting to sound like her."

"Wufei, this isn't a normal situation to begin with so why can't you accept what you have seen with your own eyes," Hilde said angrily.

"Yeah Wu-man! I mean aliens have been coming to earth since prehistoric times so its not some bad trip or drug induce hallucination," Duo said lighting up a joint.

"Hey Relena you can come in now and talk some sense into these guys" Wufei said in an attempt to restore rationality to the conversation.

"Why should I? They are right," she said putting down the picture of the Station 14 workers. "This creature does not seem to be bound by our concept of natural laws. Trowa is it not correct to say that life forms living in different environments can adapt to survive in anyway possible? Its just happens that this thing mimics other life forms in such a way it is nearly impossible to tell the difference."

"I see your point." Trowa Barton said as he put down a piece of the metal they brought back. "Different environments affect organisms in different ways, that's evolution. We just happened to find one that may have found a way to survive nearly anywhere."

"Well its dead so we don't need to worry about anymore, right?" Treize said as exited.

Relena stared at notes slightly twitching.

"Something wrong?" Heero asked.

"Oh nothing."

Dorothy then rushed into the room. "They're gone!"

"What is it you pain in the ass?" Wufei asked angrily.

"The dogs. They ran off."

"What?" Trowa said surprised.

"They broke out of the pen and ran off."

"Oh shit." Heero said as he put his glass down. "Wufei are the snowmobiles useable?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Noin I'm going to write a list of supplies when I finish get them out of storage for me." He pulled out a pad and quickly wrote down a list of items, which he then handed to Noin.

"Are you serious?" she said as she perused the list.

"Go and get them."

"Right." Noin then took off.

"Of all the times," Lady Une said angrily. "Wufei you go with him."

"Yes ma'am."

Relena then walked out of the room.

In the lab Relena sat in front of a computer screen and began to analyze the cell tissue from the creature they found in Station 14. "No way" she said.

Outside Heero, Wufei, and Noin were dressed in arctic clothing and began to supplies onto the snowmobiles. "Three carbines with incendiary shells, a flamethrower, and a few thermite bombs. All here."

"Well hop on! We have only four hours of daylight left!" the pilot shouted and they took off. Heero and Wufei on one and Noin and the supplies on the other.

They soon found dog tracks in the snow and followed them to a large snow bank but did not see any dogs.

"Where the hell did they go?" Heero said as he pulled out a carbine. He then heard whimpering. "Huh?"

The three crewmembers rushed towards a pile of snow and began to dig away. Under the snow lay a dog torn missing its lower abdomen. "What the hell?" Noin said as she jumped back.

"They're infected. Or rather they were." Wufei said as he ignited the flamethrower. He torched the remains and they headed back to the snowmobiles.

"Dorothy is going to be in shock when she hears this." Noin said as she walked up to her snowmobile.

"Yeah."

Just then a tremor shook the area sending the three to the ground.

"Damn." Wufei said as he got up. He looked around and noticed Heero eying the ground cautiously. "What is it?"

"Its under the ground."

Another tremor hit and this time Noin was grabbed by something. She grabbed her carbine and fired into the snow. Heero and Wufei rushed to her and grabbed her arms and tried to pull her away. As they pulled her out they saw a tentacle wrapped around her leg tearing through her pants. Heero fired a couple shots into the ground severing the appendage. Using the carbine's stock he removed the piece of tentacle from Noin's leg. Then from behind them a large explosion threw snow into the air revealing a large creature with what appeared to have the remains of a dog attached to it. It swung a large tentacle up from under the snow sending Noin head first into a snow mobile.

"Wufei burn it!" Heero shouted.

Wufei unleashed a stream of flame on the monstrosity, which dove back under the snow. Wasting no time Heero grabbed a thermite bomb from Noin's snowmobile and hurled it at the creature as it tried to escape. An explosion followed by a piercing scream indicating the creature's demise. They then rushed to the unconscious Noin. "It knocked her out cold." Wufei said as he and Heero lifted her onto the snowmobile. "Heero you ride with her I'll take the other one." They then proceeded back to camp.

Relena walked into the radio room to find Treize and Hilde discussing the problems with the radio. "Commander I need to speak with you outside," She said.

"Can it wait we're trying to get a hold of somebody to come down here and figure out what to do with the dead men from Station 14 and the mess with the dogs." Treize said as eh and Hilde continued working.

"That's why I'm here sir. I need to discuss that with you. Outside in the hallway please."

Treize noticed she was a little nervous and walked out into the hallway. "Okay what is it?"

"I don't think it is wise to request someone to come here right now."

"Why not. The thing is dead, right?"

"Well yes but there still is a threat of contamination."

"What are you implying? That the creature had some alien germ on it?"

"I'm not sure but since it is of extraterrestrial origin do you think it would be wiser to quarantine the facility just to be safe. I found no trace of bacteria but that still does not rule the possibility of a virus. Then again fossils of nanobacteria have been found in meteorites so that is another possibility."

"Do you have any proof?"

"Well no. But I still believe discretion is the better part of valor."

"That may be true but this situation is already getting pretty ugly since there are six dead men from another outpost involved two of whom died in our camp, one by my hands."

"Commander I still think the best course of action is to…"

"Relena when you show me evidence then I'll consider it. Until then there is no reason as to why the authorities cannot come here and help us with this matter."

"Well that's just brilliant! If there is a pathogen more people will get it and it will spread. Think for just one…"

"RELENA DARLIAN!" Treize shouted. "I am the command of this station and my decisions are final. If you can prove to me a threat exists then I shall deal with it until then I have to follow protocol. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." With that she walked away.

In the lab Relena began to run a simulation. She timed how long it took for the organism to assimilate one cell. "Barely 10 seconds." She then repeated the test with one cell from the organism and skin tissue. "Complete assimilation in 10 seconds. Hm. It spreads faster when more cells are present." She then began another simulation.

POSSIBILITY 1 OR MORE TEAM MEMBERS MAY BE INFECTED

75-80

PROJECTED TIME FOR ORGANISM TO ASSIMILATE ALL TEAM MEMBERS IF IT IS NOT CONTAINED.

72 HOURS

POSSIBLE SPREAD PATTERN IF ORGANISM MAKES IT TO MAIN LAND.

2000 KILOMETERS A DAY IN TIGHTLY PACKED AREAS

150 KILOMETERS A DAY IN LESS DENSE REGIONS

PROJECTED TIME FOR ORGANISM TO INFECT ALL LIFE ON EARTH

24,000 HOURS FROM FIRST CONTACT.

Relena stared at the screen in a daze. "Its all up to me know." She opened her desk drawer and removed a pistol.

Wufei and Heero arrived carrying the unconscious Noin inside. They rushed her to the infirmary. When they entered Sally was dashed towards them. "My God. What happened?"

They laid Noin down on one of the tables.

"The dogs are dead. That damn thing got them," Heero said softly. "It attacked us and grabbed Noin's leg. We got it off but it shot out of the ground and knocked her into one of the snowmobiles. We managed kill it though"

"Lucrezia can you hear me. Lucrezia Noin can you hear me!" Sally shouted. "She's getting cold. Bring me those blankets Wufei." He grabbed the blankets and handed them to Sally who placed them on Noin. "She's still breathing." Sally took out a small flashlight and opened Noin's eyes. "Fortunately no hematoma but it looks like she got a pretty nasty concussion." Noin then woke up. "Oh good she's awake."

"What the hell happened?" Noin asked in pain.

"You were thrown into a snow mobile," Wufei replied.

"I'm having trouble seeing."

"That might be internal bleeding. Hold on I'm going to talk to Treize about arranging for you to be taken to Morganville Station. They have a well-equipped hospital staff. Watch her." With that the doctor dashed out of the infirmary and into the hallway. As she searched for Treize she came across a detached looking Relena.

"Sally I need to talk to you."

"Sorry Relena I'm kind of busy. You haven't seen Treize anywhere have you?"

"He didn't believe me."

"About what?"

"About the risk of contamination."

"What are you talking about?"

"We need to quarantine the whole station. Please you have to listen to me."

Sally noticed a crazed look in Relena's eyes. "I got to go." She ran down the hall leaving Relena there talking to herself.

"Nobody believes me. The fools! They have no idea what they're dealing with." Relena then began to walk down the hall.

Sally soon found Treize and Lady Une in the radio room. "Thank goodness. Commander there's been an accident."

"Huh?" Treize said as he turned towards the haggard doctor.

"Its Noin. When they went after the dogs they were attacked and one of those things knocked her into a snowmobile. There's a possibility of internal bleeding so I am requesting permission to have one of our pilots take her to Morganville for treatment."

"Permission granted. I'll have Heero or Duo take her first thing in the morning.'

"Thanks."

"Wait did you say one of those things attacked them?" asked Lady Une.

"That's what Heero and Wufei said"

"Then theres more one?"

"Heero said it got to the dogs. Maybe it contaminated them somehow."

"Relena." Treize said quietly.

"What about Relena?"

"She said something about contamination."

"She mentioned it to me too sir," Sally said concerned. "What was she talking about?"

"What happened to the creature that attacked Noin?"

"Heero said they killed it."

"Well at least the risk is gone."

Zechs walked into the lab and noticed a simulation running on the computer. "Relena you need to stop leaving this on when your done with it." He went to turn it off but he noticed the results of the screen. "What the hell?" He then found his sister's notebook and began to skim through it. "Oh my God." He grabbed the book and ran out.


	4. Chapter 4: All Hell Breaks Loose

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 4: All Hell Breaks Loose

Heero and Wufei watched over Noin in the infirmary while Sally searched for Treize. Both sat facing the door curious to learn of what action the station commander would take in regards to the incident. As the two resumed their vigil Zechs ran into the room trying to catch his breath.

"Is Sally here?" he said then noticed Noin in one of the beds. "What happened?!"

"When we went after the dogs one of those things attacked and knocked her head first into one of the snowmobiles," Heero replied. "We killed it and got back as soon as we could. Sally just went looking for Treize to arrange for Noin to be taken to Morganville station for medical treatment."

"I see. Yuy can I talk to you in the tractor?"

"What for? It's got to be fifty below out there."

"Its important and right now you're the only I can talk to about this."

"Why am I not included in this?" Wufei shouted.

"It's a delicate matter and your temperament would only exacerbate things.'

"Fine."

"Well Heero?"

"Fine. Zechs this better be important." He and Zechs then left leaving Wufei to guard Noin.

"That was rather unexpected."

Hilde walked into the room and began to look around. She then spotted Noin and walked over. "What the hell happened?"

"We got attacked by one of those things while looking for the dogs and it threw her into a snowmobile."

"Wait a minute. I thought we killed the only one?"

"That's what I thought but apparently there were more."

"I just saw Heero and Zechs going outside. What was that about?"

"I don't now. Zechs came in looking for Sally but managed to get Heero to got outside instead." Wufei got up and approached the young radio operator. "I have to go check the generator so you can you stay here until I get back?"

"Yeah I guess. Its not like I can reach anybody on the radio right now anyway."

"Oh yeah. That body that Heero and Sally brought back is in the far left corner. Don't let it creep you out." Wufei then exited the infirmary.

"Creep!"

Noin then turned here head and noticed Hilde. "Hilde."

"Yeah do you need something?"

"Can you get me a glass of water?"

"Sure. I don't see any reason why I can't"

"Would you please?"

"I'll be right back." Hilde then left the room and headed towards the kitchen. Noin relaxed and closed her eyes in an attempt to get some rest. In the corner of the room a blanket on a stretcher began move about. A slim blood soaked tentacle then began to descend.

Outside in the tractor Heero and Zechs were sitting covered in heavy clothes but still experiencing the terrible cold. "Alright Zechs what is so important you drag me outside in this subzero weather?"

"Relena has been acting strangely recently. You noticed haven't you?"

"Look Zechs the cold weather and isolation get everybody from time to time. Why else do you think I set the thermostat in my shack on a hundred and get drunk so much."

"Its not that Heero. Every since you guys brought that body back from Station 14 and the incident with the dogs she has become more withdrawn and every time I see her face she looks concerned, frightened even."

"So that was a pretty disturbing event. Besides it just sound like she's working too hard. Remember how she used to be when she was at the university?"

"That's not it. I managed to get her notebook out of the lab. You need to listen to this. As unbelievable as it may sound even after exposure to intense heat and the resulting cell damage there still appears to be cellular activity. What is more surprising is that both corpses display a small amount of cellular activity despite the fact one was burned and left in the cold for an unknown amount of time. What is more surprising is that the cells appear to be regenerating and at a phenomenal rate."

"Zechs its cold in here."

"Heero will you shut up and listen. Damn it!" he said glaring at the complaining pilot. "It appears that even down to the cellular level this creature has the capacity to survive. In one test one cell of the creature was exposed to a small sample of skin tissue. In a matter of seconds it had assimilated and imitated the tissue. The organism is neither bacteria nor virus yet appears to be capable of surviving even if only one cell survives. It most likely has infected countless worlds in the past and within its incredible genetic code lies the proof. The ability to able to change into any of the life forms it absorbed in the past at will is truly remarkable. Now it has arrived on earth, a world with a vast plethora of life forms just ripe for the picking.'

"Holy shit."

"It gets worse."

"What do you mean?"

"Relena was also running simulations"

"Go on."

"These simulations included how long it would take to infect the total world population, how many of us may be infected, and on top of that how long it will take to infect the entire camp. Heero I think she intends to take action.'

'Why didn't she go to Treize?"

"She did but he didn't believe her."

"Why not?"

"She didn't have any proof."

"If she showed him these notes and the simulations you mentioned he would have."

"By then she was probably convinced he was infected. The percentage that one or more of us may be infected by that creature was 75-80 percent."

Meanwhile Hilde was walking back to the infirmary with the glass of water. As she entered the room she noticed Noin had left her bed. "Noin?" She began to look around. "I brought you the glass of…" She then turned and found Noin in the corner with blood soaked tentacles wrapped around her and one coming out of her mouth. Hilde dropped the glass and ran.

"Okay. Zechs you go find Sally. I'll get Treize and we'll meet in Relena's room.'

"Think he'll believe us?"

"We have the evidence don't we?"

As they began to head back to the camp the saw Hilde running towards them throwing her coat on. "Its Noin."

"What?" both men said and followed Hilde back inside.

They raced into the infirmary to find nothing but a blood soaked blanket and torn up clothing. Zechs ran to one side of the room and Heero approached the clothes.

"I swear she was right here and that thing had her."

Heero then noticed a broken window. "It was." He pulled the alarm and the three ran outside and noticed a slow moving figure.

"Noin?" Zechs said as he dashed towards it. As he approached Hilde knocked him to the ground. "Schbeiker! Get the hell off me!"

"Its not her. Keep away." Hilde screamed as Zechs pushed her off.

Heero lit up a flare and the others except Relena dashed out. "Its not Noin" he said. The creature appeared as if it was the meteorologist but the deformed hands of the corpse were in place of Noin's. Heero then knocked over a drum of fuel, which flowed onto the creature they once knew as Lucrezia Noin.

"Yuy. What are you doing?" Zechs screamed.

"Damn it Zechs. Look at it. It's not her. She's dead."

Zechs fell to the ground and buried his hands in the snow.

Heero dropped the flare into the fuel trail igniting it and the creature. An inhuman scream emanated from the flame consumed entity. Zechs sulked, as the others stood horrified. Heero looked at the flames feeling both sadness and anger.

Inside the storage room Heero began to search frantically for the flamethrower. He found it next to an empty box. Treize stood at the door way as the young pilot began to carry lift the heavy tank. "Heero. What the hell happened?"

"If we didn't find it when we did it would have imitated Noin perfectly. All the way down to her voice and memories."

"But I've known her since she was an adolescent at Lake Victoria. She's both a comrade and a friend. Besides the thing was dead so how on earth did it get to her?'

'Did Relena talk to you earlier about the possibility that thing may still have been alive"

'No but she did start rambling on about infection and that she thought the whole station should be quarantined. What a minute…"

"Zechs found her notebook and what she wrote in it was horrifying. She said the things weren't dead. That one cell could easily infect and entire organism. She also ran some computer simulations in particular how long it would take this thing to infect the entire population and the possibility we might be infected.'

"If she had that information why didn't she tell me? I would have believed her then."

"The percent that that one or more of us may be infected was 75-80. I think she thought she was the only one still human." Heero then went outside.

Outside the tractor was plowed a pit in the snow in which the bodies of the alien were placed. Several crewmembers then began to pour gasoline, kerosene, and other fuels into the pit. Heero stood over top with the flamethrower and motioned them to back off. He then unleashed a stream of flame into the pit resulted in flames several feet high. "Is that all of them?" he asked.

"Every last one. Including the samples from the lab." Sally replied.

"Has anyone seen Relena?" Zechs asked as he looked over the crowd.

"Haven't seen her in a few hours," Sally replied.

The flames eventually died down and they covered the pit with snow. The others began to head back inside but Heero stayed behind gazing over the snow covered grave of his former friend. Zechs than ran up to him. "Heero I can't find my sister.'

"Alright. I'm gonna take this stuff back in and then I'll help you look. Where are the others?"

"Hilde is in the communications room trying to reach someone and everyone else is in the rec room."

"I'll be in a few." Zechs then took off. Heero picked up the flamethrower but as he approached the entrance he heard something and turned towards the VTOL craft. He placed the flamethrower on the ground and moved towards it. "Relena is that you." He heard a door open and figure exited and ran towards the other entrance. Curious Heero approached the VTOL and finding a flashlight on a fuel drum he began to look inside. He noticed the control panel was smashed and the window broken. "Why would she…" A gunshot pierced the silence and Heero ran inside. By the communications room he found most of the crew against the wall and heard what sounded like Relena inside."

"NOBODY COMES IN HERE! NOBODY. NOW STAY THE FUCK AWAY!"

Heero soon approached Treize who was holding his pistol. "Stay back Yuy she's armed and apparently out of her mind."

"If any of you bastards try to come in here I'll blow you out of your fucking socks." She yelled and fired at the wall next to Heero.

"She smashed one of the VTOLs pretty bad."

"What?" Wufei said angrily. "Now why the hell would she do that?"

"Yeah she's usually so calm and peaceful." Quatre said as he clutched the wall.

"No you idiot. I meant it makes no sense to smash your only way out. She really is a stupid bitch isn't she?'

"Can the misogynistic talk and think of some way to stop her," Dorothy yelled as she pulled a knife out of her pocket.

"Wufei go out and check to see if she got any of the other vehicles," Heero said as he moved closer."

"Alright" he said and ran outside.

"We have to do something Heero she has Hilde in there."

Inside the room Hilde lay against the wall terrified as a crazed Relena began to smash the equipment. The deranged biologist soon took to smashing the larger pieces with an axe.

"You think I'm crazy don't you. That the isolation has gotten to me or I'm in some state of psychological instability. Fine. I could care less what you people think anyway!" she said as she started to beat the equipment with an axe. "You have no idea what is going on here. Well some of you probably do. BUT ITS TOO LATE NOW!" she yelled and continued her destructive rampage. "You ignored my warnings. You scoffed at my attempts to help you prevent this. So now the only solution is…NOBODY CAN ESCAPE. AH HA HA HA!"

"She has totally lost it," Lady Une said as she tried to glimpse into the room only to be met by a gunshot above her head.

"What did I say? I TOLD YOU TO STAY THE FUCK AWAY!!"

"God. What do we do?" Duo sulked.

"Don't worry we'll get Hilde out of there." Heero said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"If she hurts Hilde I'll kill her," the braided pilot said coldly.

Wufei dashed back with his coat flying behind him. "She smashed the other VTOL, the big snow tractor, and the snowmobiles."

"That's it I'm taking her out," Treize said as he cocked his gun.

"Wait!" Zechs shouted and placed his hand around Treize's gun.

"Zechs I know losing two people you care about in one night is hard. And I now nothing I say will ease the pain you feel. But if we don't stop her someone will die."

"Hold on." Heero said as he edged closer to them. "Wufei try to talk to her. Go around the back way.'

"Why me?"

"You're fast enough to escape."

"Fine." He then took off.

"Trowa get one of the lab tables." Trowa then headed towards the lab.

"So what's the plan?" Zechs asked curiously.

"Wufei distracts her and we rush her with the table."

"What if she shoots Wufei?"

"Then the women of the world will cheer." Dorothy laughed. Everyone glared at her. "What?"

Meanwhile Relena continued to destroy the communication room growing more fanatical by the minute. "That thing did not come here to be a sled dog. Oh no. How would a dog make it ashore? No it had a different agenda you see. It would become one of us and then go on to infect the whole world and possibly the colonies as well. But it never thought I'd figure out its little plan. Now I'm all that stands between it and massive infection. You see I'm a hero. SO WHY CAN"T YOU LET ME DO MY JOB!!" She paused for a minute to catch her breath and then continued with renewed fervor. "BUT NO. YOU IDIOTS THINK I'M INSANE AND ARE TRYING TO STOP ME. BUT HOW MANY OF YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE? YOU CAN'T FOOL ME. I'M NOT STUPID. CAUSE YOU SEE I WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH. POOR LITTLE IMITATIONS, YOU AREN'T GETTING AWAY!"

Wufei then poke his head around the corner. "Relena. Can you stop acting like an ass and put the weapons down. I know you have problems every month like all women do."

"Ugh," Heero sighed.

"She's going to kill him now." Lady Une said and shook her head.

"But that's no reason to go around destroying things," Wufei said in fear

"Ha," the biologist said as she turned towards Wufei. "You think you're pretty funny don't ya?" She then pulled out the pistol. "BUT THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF MY GODDAMN PERIOD!!!" she shouted and fired several shots at Wufei who ran back into the other side. "No listen to me you stupid motherfuckers. THE NEXT PERSON WHO COMES IN HERE IS DEAD!"

Trowa then arrived with the table.

Wufei once again poke his head into the room. "Hi."

"WHAT DID I SAY?!" She shouted and fired several more shots missing him and emptying the gun.

"Now!" Heero shouted and charged into the room holding the table in front of him. Relena slammed the axe into the table, which got stuck in the wood. Heero then jerked the table removing the axe from Relena's hands in the process. Undaunted she grabbed a chair and resumed her attack. Heero soon knocked her to the ground and Lady Une punched her a few times in the head. They then lifted the unconscious girl off the ground.

Sally searched through the medicine cabinet and finally removed a bottle and a syringe. "This should work."

"What is it?" Zechs asked curiously.

"Morphine. A low dose won't hurt her and it will put in her in a euphoria for a little while."

"So you're going to drug my little sister?"

"She's dangerous right now so we have to sedate her."

In the communications room Treize looked over the destroyed equipment. "I never thought she would do this. I still can't believe this was all by her hand."

"Mr. Treize there is nothing you could have done," Lady Une said trying to comfort him.

"I have a bed feeling this is going to get a lost worse before it gets any better. One crewmember is dead, an old friend of mine and Zech's lover. All of the sled dogs are dead, the vehicles and communications equipment are destroyed by our usually calm biologist, and on top of that that thing may still be alive possibly as one of us." He sighed and walked away.

In the early morning Sally Heero, Trowa, and Treize are moving a semiconscious Relena through the snow. "Heero, why can't we use your shack?" Trowa asked trudging through the snow.

"First of all I don't want her anywhere near may place and second the last time she was in there she slapped me." Came the reply

"Well maybe you should stop putting centerfolds on the wall." Treize said under his breath.

"What I do in there is my business and not anyone else's. Got that."

They walked up to the tool shed and dragged Relena inside. "But why the tool shed?" Sally asked placing her medical bag on a table.

"Because A its warm in here, B the doors are strong, and C there is no way she can get out without us unlocking it," the pilot replied.

Sally filled a syringe with morphine and then gave Relena an injection. "What's going on?" the girl asked in a daze. "Why am I here?"

"For your own good," Heero replied. "And ours as well."

The others walked out leaving Heero and Relena in the tool shed alone. "Heero do you think I'm crazy?"

"After what you did last night I'm starting to think so. Just stay here a while and get your wits back. When you're better I'll come get you out." He said as he started for the door.

"Watch Dorothy."

"What?"

"Watch Dorothy and watch her closely. She was alone with that dog for quite a while so she might be one of them."

"Okay," he said and walked outside to find the others lost in thought.

"Now we have a problem," Treize said in a rather depressed tone. "Do we wait for a rescue team to arrive which might be any time since we haven't communicated with the main station for a while or do we take action?"

"Take action," Heero replied. "Somebody might be one of those things. We need to find out who is, if any and fast."

"But how do we do that?" Trowa asked the pilot. "If Relena is right and this thing can imitate us down to our very memories and behavior then how can we tell? The bodies we found were not complete imitations so it is possible that it can completely imitate cell structure as her tests have shown. So how do we find out who is who?"

"Yeah and the lab is pretty thrashed." Treize said in firm tone. "We just found out a little while ago that she ruined the lab equipment before destroying the communication room. She dumped or diluted all of the testing chemicals and fried the hard drive probably after she saw Zechs look at her simulations. So we don't have much in the way of tests to conduct."

"That's not true." Sally said as she walked towards the group. "What about blood serum? We can take a sample of everyone's blood and mix it with uncontaminated blood under a microscope, which Relena did not destroy. Any reactions and we'll know."

"We have blood in the infirmary." Trowa said jubilantly.

"Well then," Treize said removing a key from his belt. "Sound like a plan."

Sally arrived in the infirmary and walked towards the fridge where the blood was stored. She unlocked it and was horrified to find the bags cut open and dried blood on the floor. "Guys get in here." The rest of the team soon arrived and found the doctor staring at their only possibility of a test disappear before their very eyes.

"Was it broken into?" Trowa asked as he approached.

"No. It was opened and then closed," Sally said trembling.

"Who can get into it?" Wufei asked glaring at the doctor.

"Me, and Treize has the only key."

"That's true," the station commander said as began to ponder what could have happened.

"When was it last used?" Heero asked.

"Two days ago," Sally replied. "I haven't touched it since."

"I guess somebody could have taken the key from me." Treize said in attempt to rationalize the situation.

"Bullshit!" Wufei yelled. "That key ring is on your belt at all times. Christ you even sleep with it on."

"Are you suggesting Mr. Treize did this?" Lady Une inquired. "What reason would he have?"

"Figures you'd come to his defense," the mechanic said angrily. "How do we know both of you aren't in this together? You could both be infected."

"That's ridiculous Chang! How dare you suspect me and the commander solely on conjecture!"

"Really, as far as I am concerned you, Treize, and Sally could all be behind this."

"Stop accusing people because they're women or affiliated with someone you hate!" Dorothy yelled.

"Like you have say in this matter. You were near that dog all day long Dorothy." Dorothy snapped and lunged at Wufei grabbing his throat. "This is really going to convince you're not one of them." Heero and Trowa separate them. "Maybe we should just lock all four of them up. Yeah then we'd know."

"You're crazy!" Sally yelled.

"Wufei shut up." Heero said in an authoritative manner. "Wild accusations aren't going to get us anywhere."

"They aren't wild Yuy! The blood has been destroyed and those three had access. And Miss Catalonia was around the dog all day. I have proof Heero!"

"Lets be rational about this Wufei. What would be the motive behind this?" asked Trowa.

"Motive? Are you an idiot Barton? To keep us from finding out who's infected, THAT'S WHY!"

"Wufei, chill man. Can't we all just get along?" Duo said trying to calm things down.

"Fuck you Maxwell! You're little stoner comments aren't needed."

"This is nuts." Hilde said as she began to back away.

"Fine," Treize shouted. It looks like nobody trusts me right now so I guess I'll give command to someone else. Lady Une?"

"We'll leave command of the station to one of you. Trowa what about you?" she said facing the physicist.

"Me? Um I don't think I can." Trowa replied.

"I'll take it," Wufei said and stepped forward.

Dorothy then jumped in front of him with her knife. "Like hell you are. The last thing we need is a misogynist prick like you calling the shots"

Heero then stepped forward. "I'll do it. Does anybody object?" Nobody raised any objections.

"Fine," Treize said handing his pistol to Heero. "You're in charge from now on."

Later they burned the ruined blood and gathered in the rec room. "All right from now on there is going to be some precautionary measures," Heero said to the paranoid crowd. "First everybody stays together. Nobody travels in a group of less than two from now on. All eating and drinking will be done out of cans and bottles to avoid contamination. As far as sleeping is concerned we will take shifts from now on. Keep your doors open at all times. We have a storm approaching in about six hours so lets get ready. Trowa and Wufei you tie down Treize, Lady Une, Sally and Dorothy and inject them with morphine. Zechs you start on a new test. Hilde you come with me we're going to make some additional weapons. Catherine help Quatre in the kitchen and later stand watch. Things are going to get nasty so be prepared.'

"What about the princess?" Quatre asked.

"You can take food out to her later but whatever you do don't let out. Now lets get to work."


	5. Chapter 5: Friend or Foe?

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 5: Friend or Foe?

The storm raged outside the outpost. Inside the team members were working frantically to solve the situation that had befallen them. They had no way to repair the communication equipment Relena damaged earlier for although they had the parts the damage was far too extensive. Wufei and Duo began to search for parts to fix the VTOLs and tractor. They finally found them but repairs would have to wait until the storm subsided. In the supply room Heero and Hilde began to work on additional weapons in addition to the two flamethrowers.

"Think this will work?" Hilde asked holding up a blowtorch.

"It should," Heero said placing a tank on the ground. "Mind you it won't have the range of a flamethrower but if we rig these up right we should be able to get a four foot flame."

"Have you done this before?"

"No, but one of my trainers for Operation Meteor did. He called it a last ditch incendiary weapon." He finished adjusting the torch and stood up. "Lets give it a test." The two walked to the outside door and opened it. They were greeted by strong winds and snow. Heero turned the valve a jet of blue flame surged out. "I think that should do it."

In the rec room Catherine and Trowa watched over Dorothy, Treize, Lady Une, and Sally who were tied to a couch.

"Hey Trowa can you give me a hand?" Catherine asked her brother while placing a flamethrower on her back.

"Sure," He said and helped his sister load the heavy tank on her back.

"Its pretty heavy."

"No kidding. Why do you think Wufei hates lugging on around?"

"Do you think any of them are infected?" she asked pointing to the couch.

"Don't know. Zechs is working on a test right now to determine if any one is infected. I feel bad for him though."

"Yeah losing your fiancée to this freak and having your sister go nuts on the same night isn't exactly a pleasant thing."

"By the way where is Quatre?"

"Last I checked he was helping Zechs in the lab."

In the lab Zechs examined his sister's notebooks with the help of Quatre.

"Nothing in this one," the young cook said.

"Damn it! Why did she keep this thing's capabilities secret," Zechs said angrily.

"Don't get yourself so worked up."

"But if we knew that thing wasn't dead the Noin…"

"Stop blaming yourself! There is nothing you could have done."

"Shut up! You never…" He then noticed tears in Quatre's eyes. "Sorry I forgot about your father and sister."

"That's okay."

"I still can't believe Relena of all people would keep this secret and then trash the place like she did. It doesn't make any sense."

"Zechs, we never asked to be placed in this situation but we're in it anyway. All we can do is the best we can."

"I guess so."

Wufei and Duo walked into rec room with the spare parts followed by Heero and Hilde with the new weapons.

"Busy I see," Wufei said as he noticed the blowtorch in Heero's hand.

"You could say that."

"Does it work?"

"Both of them do," Heero said placing his on the pool table. "Four foot flame."

"Out of a propane torch? Yuy, you sometimes amaze me."

"Heero will you be heading back to your shack now?" Trowa asked as he approached the pilot.

"Not in this weather. Besides I brought my stuff inside already."

"If any anyone needs booze stop by Heero's room," Wufei laughed.

"Alright that's enough. We got work to do," the pilot said stoically.

"You heard commander Yuy, lets hit it!" Duo said jubilantly.

"Stop smoking that shit while you're at it Duo. You're already fucked up as it is."

Hilde then noticed something in the trash bag and walked over to it. Inside she found a pair of thermal underwear torn to shreds. She picked it up and walked over to Heero. "Look at this."

Heero took the ragged garment from Hilde's hand and looked at it. "Name tag is gone."

"What?" Trowa asked confused.

"It appears we have a clue as to who might be infected." Heero said holding up the torn underwear.

Quatre and Zechs then walked in and found the entire room with their eyes on Heero.

"What's going on?" Quatre asked.

"What size thermals do you wear Quatre?"

"Large."

"And you Zechs?"

"Large."

"So do I," Heero said staring at the object in his hand.

"So what's the point Yuy?" Wufei asked angrily. "I wear that size too. So does Trowa and Duo. Treize is the only guy I know here who ears an XL. As for the girls I have no clue."

"I wear a medium," Catherine said removing the flamethrower. "Dorothy and Lady Une wear large I think. I don't know Sally's size. What about you Hilde?"

"Same as you," the communications specialist replied. "As does Relena."

"So then its one of us then Heero?" Zechs asked the pilot.

"Could have been planted. We don't know how intelligent this thing is," said Duo.

"Perhaps you're right. But to play it safe unless absolutely necessary we stay as a group from now on or within a few minutes of each of at all times."

"Yuy. That's playing into its hands! If we stay together then it can get us all at once. Think about it?" Wufei said angrily

"Like separation is any help." Trowa added. "That'll give it plenty of chances to get us!"

"Better at least some of us survive than all of us going at the same time!" Wufei approached Trowa with a mad look in his eye.

"Are you mad! Together we stand a chance. Divided we fall to this thing."

"Shut up Barton! How do I know you ain't one yourself?"

"That applies to you as well Chang."

"Both of you stop it!" Quatre shouted as he tried to break them up. "Fighting is what it wants."

"Stay away!" Wufei said and threw the cook to the ground. "Don't you touch me! Don't any of you fucking touch me!"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" The group turned to their newly appointed commander. "Do whatever the hell you want. You'll do it even if I tell you not to anyway." Heero then stormed out of the room.

In his room Heero was enjoying a drink and examining the torn clothing. The atmosphere was growing pretty intense. If they didn't find a way to tell who was who soon the whole crew would start to kill each other out of paranoia. He pulled out a digital recorder and turned it on. "The storm has been hitting us for two days straight. Attempting to fix the vehicles and escape is hopeless at this point in time. On top of that we have a shape-changing monster that could be anyone of us. Heh. I had better luck when I was an assassin."

He stopped the recorder and poured himself another glass. He slowly began to sip it. However it was no use. Alcohol wasn't going to relax him. For the longest time alcohol was his escape but not this time. The ting killed all of their dogs, Noin, and drove Relena mad. Never before had he felt so terrified.

"Nobody trusts anybody now. Everybody is suspicious of everyone around them and the tension is so great it could explode any minute." Heero then looked at the clothes. "We found shredded underwear but there is no tag so it could be anybody. I think it tears through clothing when it assimilates. When it got Noin it tore her clothes to pieces. Like that matters anyway. If our head biologist was on the right track before she went bonkers then it needs to only transmit a few cells to a person in order to infect them. Well there is nothing more I can do. This is Heero Yuy, pilot at ESUN Outpost 21." He then put the recorder away.

In the lab Zechs was working hard on finding a new test. Blood serum was not an option since all the blood they had was destroyed. Genetic tests were out of the question to since Relena trashed the lab. But still there had to be some way. But what? As he read through his sister's notes it was obvious that the organism was much more dangerous than they first thought. It could imitate a single organism by contaminated its victim with one cell spread by any means. Fortunately it was not airborne and needed physical contact. But a drop of blood in a drink or food was more than enough. Also there was another problem: there was no way to make sure it was dead. While burning it seemed to be the best method they had every cell would have to be destroyed by fire or some other means to ensure it would not spread.

Zechs wiped his brow and grabbed the capped flask of coffee he had on his desk. He poured a glass and turned to find Heero in the doorway.

"Anything?" the pilot asked.

"No. Nothing concrete yet. However given a little more time I might be able to rig something up."

"The others are on the verge of locking themselves in their rooms."

"Great that's the last thing we need."

"This whole thing bothers me."

"You're telling me. Heero we may not be able to kill this thing."

"What?"

"The only way to be sure its dead is to kill every cell. But therein lies the problem. How do you know that you've killed every cell? Burning it works but is no guarantee. I don't suppose we have a stock of napalm."

"How about pouring acid on any blood and tissue it leaves?"

"That may work but it's not practical when you're in the snow."

"I see your point. Well if you find anything let me know." The pilot then walked out.

Zechs resumed his work until the lights went out. "What the?" He dug in his drawer and pulled out a flashlight. Wasting no time Zechs walked into the hallway. No sooner had he done so he heard the sound of footsteps. "Who's there?"

Meanwhile in the rec room the whole place was buzzing with activity.

"Damn that generator!" Wufei shouted turning on a flashlight. "Of all the times. Duo come with me." Wufei and Duo raced to the lower level.

"This is just great," Trowa said angrily. He turned on a lantern and heard Dorothy moaning. "What's your problem?"

"Bathroom."

"Can't you hold it?"

"I've been doing that for the last several hours."

"Fine," Trowa said and untied her. "I'll be right outside so don't do anything stupid."

"I'll try not to," she said and closed the door.

In the lower level Wufei and Duo converged on the generator. "Hold the light," the mechanic said as he looked over the generator.

"Whats wrong?"

"Lets see nothing appears wrong. Wait a minute. I'll be, somebody tore the belt off."

"Sabotage?"

"Looks like it. We need to get a new belt out of storage."

Back in the rec room Trowa grew increasingly concerned. "What is taking them?"

"Where are Hilde, Quatre, Heero, and Zechs?" Catherine asked as she looked around.

Trowa began to grow impatient. "Dorothy finish up in there will you." There was no response. "Did you hear me I said finish up in there?" Again silence. "Dorothy you get out of there now or I'm coming in." The door opened to reveal Dorothy.

"Relax," she said as he walked her back to the couch and tied her up.

Rustling could be heard from the supply room. "What the fuck?" Trowa said and dashed over with Catherine in tow.

"Hey!" Treize shouted. "Don't leave us!"

Trowa peered in to find Wufei and Duo rummaging through boxes. "What's going on?"

"Somebody tore the belt off of the generator so we came here to get a new one," Wufei replied.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Ripped right off too." Finding the belt the mechanic and back up pilot took off.

"This is getting worse by the minute," Trowa said and walked back to the rec room.

It took a while but he lights eventually came back on. However when Heero returned to Zech's room to find the biologist missing he grew concerned. Entering the rec room he glared at the weary occupants. "Anybody see Zechs?"

"No." Wufei replied strapping on a flamethrower. "He's missing then?"

"The power was off for a while if any of us were infected that would have been the perfect opportunity," the pilot said trying to contain his anger.

"How do we know you didn't off him?" asked the mechanic.

"Good point. However I was nowhere near his room or the lab during that time."

"Where were you then?"

"Busy guarding the door to my room."

"Believable but not a perfect alibi."

"What about you?"

"Fixing the generator with Maxwell. Somebody tore the belt off."

"How do we know it wasn't you?"

"You don't. How do we know Zechs isn't one of them?"

"We don't. Anyway lets find him and ask him. If he acts strange though, burn him."

"Alright Yuy."

"Quatre come with me. Duo and Hilde check the inside. Wufei, you, Catherine, and Trowa guard those four."

"Wait a minute. Hilde was missing when the lights went out. How do I know she wasn't infected" Duo spouted. "I'll stay with Wufei."

"Whats your problem?" Hilde inquired.

"Nothing personal babe but I don't trust you."

"After all this time…"

"Look you went missing when the lights went out. How do I know it didn't get to you?"

"But it doesn't apply to you huh?"

"Sorry but I'm sticking with Wu-man."

"Well fuck you Duo Maxwell!" She shouted and tackled him.

"CUT IT OUT!" Heero shouted and drew Treize's gun. "Fine Wufei and Duo search the inside. Hilde you come with Quatre and me. Trowa and Catherine, if any of those guys try to escape torch them." Heero then led his team out.

"Why do you always have to piss me off Maxwell?" and irritated Wufei asked.

"Relax this will be worth it."

"Huh?"

"Lets head to the greenhouse."

"What for…Oh." They then headed towards the greenhouse in the western end.

Outside Heero and his team reached the tool shed they locked Relena in to see if she saw Zechs. Heero approached the small building and unlatched the slot on the door. He looked in to see the young biologist with her head down on the workbench. "Relena, have you seen Zechs?"

She then dashed over to the door. "Heero. Thank God. It's terrible out here. Please let me back in I'll be a good girl."

"Have you seen your brother?"

"No."

"Thank you," he said and began to close the slot.

"Wait a minute," she pleaded. "Its really scary out here."

"Scary?"

"Strange noises. Please let me back in. I'm better now and I promise to behave like a proper young lady."

"We'll see," Heero closed the slot and Relena's cursing blared from inside. He then motioned his group to come together. "No luck so the investigation is off out here. If he did run out he probably got caught in the storm and from what I have seen it would have most likely killed him. Hilde go back and tell the others we found nothing. Quatre come with me."

"Why," Quatre asked.

"I left my shack two days ago and when I did the lights were off." He then motioned to the illuminated shack.

Meanwhile inside Wufei and Duo just entered the greenhouse to find the window shattered. "Oh shit!" Duo shouted and converged on the marijuana plants. "My little babies!"

"Great all that weed. But wait we can still save it."

"No we can't," Duo said turning on the torch.

"The hell are you doing?" a shocked Wufei said as he watched Duo turn the valve.

"That son of a bitch got to our stash man.'

"We don't know that. Hell it could have been the storm."

"No it was that freak. It can imitate anything man." He let loose a meter long blue lance of flame destroying the crop. Smoke soon filled the room. He turned off the torch and sobbed.

"You stupid…"

"Goddamn alien! How dare that motherfucker mess with my babies!"

"Well we better get going." As they approached the door the wind blew it closed revealing a large figure impaled to it by a shovel. It was Zechs.

"Jesus!"

"How the hell did he get up there? Nobody is that strong."

"Hell of a way to go to."

At the shack Heero and Quatre just entered to find the roof torn open and wind blowing Heero's posters around. "Watch out Quatre. One of the girls might become attached to you," he laughed.

"Did the wind do this?"

"No. I'm certain it was that thing. Fortunately I moved my things and alcohol inside the other day." A centerfold flew right into Quatre's face. 'I think she likes you."

The cook tore the poster from his face. "Very funny. Well there is nothing we can do here."

"Agreed lets head back. You go ahead."

"Why?"

"Just want to say my goodbyes."

Quatre climbed down and waited for Heero. He then noticed something in the snow next to Heero's furnace. He moved over and dug it out. It was a piece of cloth with HEERO YUY printed on it. Quatre stuck it in his coat just as Heero climbed down.

"Shall we be off?"

"Yeah," the cook replied with a weary eye.

Inside Wufei stood impatiently awaiting any sign of Heero or Quatre. "It's been over half an hour already."

"Be patient Wufei they'll be back," Trowa said calmly.

"Maybe they're already dead," Duo said puffing a joint.

"Duo! That's a terrible thing to say," Catherine snapped back.

"Well they could be. Think about it. It took about ten minutes to partially absorb Noin. In half an hour it could easily get one person."

"Or it could just out right kill them," Wufei said staring at the door.

"Poor Zechs. A shovel embedded in my chest is not how I would like to go," the back up pilot said putting out his joint.

"Yeah. You want a harem on top of you when you die," Hilde mumbled.

'Speaking of Zechs why do you think it killed him?" asked Catherine.

"Maybe he was close to figuring out a test? I don't know," Wufei said checking his flamethrower. "Anyway lets start to board this place up. They'll knock if they need to come in."

Soon all team members that were not tied down had begun to board the camp up. It was then there was a knock at the door. They opened it to find a snow covered Quatre trying to catch his breath.

"Where is Yuy?" Wufei asked staring at the cook.

"I cut him loose outside."

"You did what?"

"I found this by his furnace," Quatre said as he pulled out the torn remains of a jacket with Heero's name on the tag. "He's one of them."

"It would have had plenty of time," said Duo.

"But when?" Hilde asked panicked.

"When the lights were out most likely. Wait a minute Hilde where you at that time?" Duo asked suspiciously.

"Oh got hell!" she replied.

"However we don't know if it got him," Wufei said grabbing Quatre by his collar. "How do I know you didn't plant it? That your not one of them?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Quatre pleaded.

"Maybe we just out to find out," Wufei said igniting his flamethrower.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" the terrified cook shouted.

"Getting an answer." Just then there were several knocks at the door. "What the?"

"Hey let me in," Heero's voice said.

"Oh God. He's here," a terrified Quatre said dashing from the door.

"Do we let him in?" Duo asked.

"No human could have made it back here without a line in this storm," Wufei said aiming his flamethrower at the door.

"So lets get him!" Duo shouted torch in hand.

"The hell is wrong with you?"

"Wufei this our chance. Lets burn him and leave him in the snow."

"Why the hell do you want him in here? If he is one he'll attack the moment we open the door since he'll know we're on to him."

"Come on man!"

"No. Lets just let the storm have him."

"What if he's human," Hilde said as she approached the two. "You'll both be murderers."

"Yeah. Like they can prove I intentionally left him out there. Given the situation I think a court would understand."

Just then the sound of glass shattering startled the group.

"What the fuck?" Duo said as he turned from side to side.

"Shit! He's broken into the supply room," Trowa said grabbing a torch. They dashed over to the supply room and heard someone rummaging inside.

"The damn rope snapped out there," Heero's voice said. "Why the hell didn't you open the door?"

Wufei pulled on the doorknob to find it locked. "He has the key." He smashed open the glass case on the wall and removed an axe. He then began to cut down the door. "You're a dead man now!" He smashed it open to find Heero holding a flare to a bundle of explosives.

"One more step and I'll blow us all to hell!" The pilot said angrily. "Put down the weapons! NOW!" They dropped the torches and flamethrowers on the floor. "If any of you touch me we go. Got it?" They nodded. "Good." He then turned to Wufei. "Who the hell died and mad you judge, jury and executioner? Answer me!"

"Like it would have been any different if it was you inside and me outside," Wufei replied.

"Don't fuck with me Chang. Do you know what I'm holding?"

"Type 79B explosive in stick form. The strongest type you can use in this place. Industrial grade high explosive capable of withstanding extreme cold. You have enough of it in your hand to level most of the camp."

"Exactly so don't even think of torching me or else you'll be joining me in the next life." He then looked around. "Wait a minute. Two of you are missing." Just then Quatre and Trowa grabbed him. Heero elbowed Quatre in the jaw sending him to the ground and hit Trowa with such force it drove him into the wall. Quatre tried to get back up but was cut off by a gunshot above his head. Heero then holstered his gun and lit another flare. "Think before you act Winner and you might just live through this."

Quatre noticed Trowa had stopped breathing. "Oh my God?" He ran to his fallen friend under Heero's close watch. "He isn't breathing! You hit him too hard!"

"Untie Sally!" the pilot shouted. "From now on nobody and I mean nobody leaves my sight. And if any of you even move to attack me I'll kill you without hesitation. Heero then pulled more explosives out of the crate.

In the infirmary Heero stood with explosives in his coat clutching and a flamethrower in his right hand aimed at Wufei and Quatre. Trowa was lying on the table and Sally began CPR. Hilde was beside Catherine who was crying. Dorothy was standing in the corner by the doorway staring at the chaos. Treize and Lady Une were standing opposite of Sally.

"So you think I'm one huh?" Heero said with a look of madness in his eyes. "Did you ever think anybody else could have stuck the jacket up my furnace during the blackout or anytime before that?"

"I ain't buying it Yuy," Wufei snapped back.

"Well maybe you and your good buddy Quatre would like to find out what hell is like first hand?" Heero said aiming the torch directly at them. "Come on its first class. If you so much as move towards me I'll send you on your way guys."

"Heero shut up will ya!" Sally said realizing CPR was having no effect. "Leave it to you to hit so damn hard in one of his vital points. Hilde bring the defibrillator over here with you."

"Maybe I ought just let Relena loose and see what she does? You guys think I'm crazy well let's see what she can do?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Quatre said in disbelief.

"You'll have to sleep sometime Heero and when you do that's when I'll put you out of your misery," Wufei said staring Heero in the eye.

"Well I don't sleep much Wufei and I sleep light when I do anyway. Besides considering I'm an ex-assassin did it ever occur to you I might just booby trap my room."

'Will you both shut up!" Sally said charging up the paddles. "Clear!" No response. "Clear!"

"Maybe you can protect yourself Yuy but trust me I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do."

"Well let's see if you can Chang!" Heero then turned the flamethrower only on Wufei.

Meanwhile Sally was getting concerned for the defibrillator had no effect. "Come on Trowa." She placed the paddle on his chest again but just as it touched the skin tore open and a limb of some kind threw her against the wall.

"Holy shit!" Duo yelled and ran out followed by all but Heero.

The body on the table began to tear open spraying a green slime mixed with blood everywhere. Heero drug the unconscious Sally out of the room. As he returned the appendage grabbed on the table and out of the chest another emerged. Soon the intestines flew out and a long neck with a tiny deformed face emerged. Heero gazed at the hideous creature that was once his friend in horror. Yet it still was not done. Out of the bloody mass of intestines dozens of tentacles sprang to life. Heero aimed right at the creature's face.

"HEERO! NO!" Catherine screamed as Treize restrained her.

A stream of flame soon engulfed the hideous monstrosity. Heero looked on as it wailed and screeched and let loose another stream. The creature fell on to its form shell as the others rushed in with fire extinguishers. Yet in the confusion Trowa's head broke off and moved under the desk. The fire was soon extinguished and smoke filed the room with the sickening odor of burning flesh. The whole crew stood in disbelief except Catherine who was sobbing. However as they looked at the remains of the imitation of their friend the head sprouted legs and tried to get out of the room.

Duo turned around and saw the abomination on the floor. "No way!"

Heero then turned and saw the freak leaving the room. He then burned it in view of the others. However that image gave Heero an idea, a possible test to find out if anyone was who he or she said they were.


	6. Chapter 6: The Test

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 6: The Test

Nobody knew exactly what Heero had in mind but he was digging around in the storage room for nearly an hour taking out boxes. Occasionally the pilot would step it holding explosives in the one hand and a flamethrower in the other to remind them not to move. After he found what he wanted he motioned the crew into the rec room. Catherine was still upset over Trowa's death and the rest on the verge of attacking their captor, especially Wufei who looked ready to pounce.

Heero set two boxes down on the table and began to open a third. From inside he removed small Petri dishes, which he then piled on the table. From another scalpels in plastic wrappers spilled out and from the last box, a large one rope. The group looked on as Heero removed a spool of wire from his jacket.

"So what's the plan?" Catherine asked tried to hold back the tears.

"A test."

"So what's the rope for Yuy?" Treize asked pointing to the large box.

"Hilde. Sally. Tie everyone up," he said placing the spool on the table.

"Screw this! Lets get him!" Duo shouted.

Heero aimed the flamethrower at the irate pilot and placed the explosives right in front of it.

"He wouldn't dare," Lady Une said angrily.

"He would," Wufei said glaring at Heero. "Remember this is the same guy who self-destructed to prevent an attack on the colonies."

"Besides he got all the weapons," Dorothy said curling her hand behind her back. Clutched in her hand was scalpel she took from the infirmary. "For now lets do as he says."

"The fuck I will!" Duo shouted as he faced Heero. "What's to say that once he ties us up he won't torch us and run off? I bet it did get to him. That's he's one of them."

"Then why would he torch the imitation of Trowa?" Hilde asked her boyfriend.

"Not that I trust you either." He replied and was met by her stare. "But what if he killed Trowa to keep suspicion from himself."

"Maxwell lay off the weed," Wufei laughed. "These things don't destroy themselves. If they want to take us over destroying another copy would be pointless. And besides you brain fried dolt they most likely know who is a copy or not. By the way how do I know that you're not one?"

"That's bullshit Wu-man! And as far as I am concerned you all are until proven other wise!"

"Duo's got a point," Heero said as he began to scrape the wire. "This test will prove who is who. But first you need to be restrained."

"I'm not gonna let you do it Yuy!" Wufei said defiantly. A gunshot shattered the floor beneath him."

"You will comply or I'll blow your fucking brains out!" Heero said aiming at Wufei's head. "Anyone got a problem?" Dorothy then charged forward with the scalpel but Heero fired a shot off by her ear stopping her. "You want to die Miss Catalonia? That's fine with me." She dropped the scalpel and approached the couch.

Hilde and Sally began to tie the others up as Heero began to strip the wire. "Trowa, or rather his copy gave me an idea. The way his body separated into pieces in an effort to avoid death leads me to think that this thing is actually one being down to a cellular level. The fact his head broke off and tried to escape the flames is testament to that. Going further back Relena's notes showed that just a few cells could infect an organism and take it over. Then again there is the fact that even a few cells regenerated an entire creature."

The tied up crew stared at the pilot with doubt. "So heres the deal. Blood. Blood is nothing more than tissue. We bleed and it's no big deal. Expose our blood to a hot wire and it just burns. But to this thing blood is another part of it or a separate being. Burn its blood and there should be a reaction. You see Sally was right that testing blood would be a possible test." He then put the wire down. "Sally tie up Hilde." The doctor tied the young woman up and approached Heero. He hand her a Petri dish and clean scalpel. "We'll use a new blade on each person to avoid infection."

In the ten minutes following Sally had collected blood samples from everyone except Hilde and herself. She wiped alcohol on Hilde's thumb and cut into to it. The girl winced as the blade sliced her skin and blood began to fill the dish. Sally then placed a bandage on the cut and took the sample to Heero. Taking the sample Heero handed Sally a scalpel and dish. She then cut her thumb and began to fill the dish with her own blood. Heero then motioned for her stop and step back. Heating the wire with the flamethrower he drug across the sample of Sally's blood. A hissing sound emanated from it but nothing else.

"I guess you're okay. Put on the other flamethrower and watch them." Heero said happily. Sally then pulled the heavy weapon onto her back and aimed at the group. Heero then cut his own thumb and collected his blood in a dish. "This will prove I am who I say I am." He dragged the wire across his blood but nothing happened. Noticing the crowd was not convinced he did it again and was met only by a hiss.

"I don't believe it," Wufei said staring at Heero.

"Lets get down to business shall we?" Heero then picked up Quatre's sample. "Quatre Winner. You claim I am one of those things but what about you?" The young cook shivered as Heero heated the wire. "Now we will find out!" The wire touched the blood and only a loud hiss was the result. "So I guess you are. Well then grab a torch and watch the others."

Sally cut Quatre loose and he picked up one of the blowtorches. He then aimed it at the others.

"This is nonsense Yuy!" Treize shouted. "You haven't proved anything."

"Well Treize, you just volunteered to go last!" the pilot retorted. "Ah hell. Lets up the ante. Lets try Dorothy now."

"Heero when you untie me I'm going to kill you!" Dorothy said defiantly.

"Only if you're human." He then heated up the wire.

"Accusation on basis on association. I thought the age of McCarthyism died out centuries ago!" she shouted.

"Heero. I believe her," Quatre pleaded.

"Only one way to find out." As Heero lowered the wire the whole room watched. A hiss let out as it touched the blood. The group sighed with relief. Then the blood leapt out of the dish. "What the!" Heero dropped the dish and flamethrower. Everyone looked at Dorothy whose entire body began to spasm.

"Oh my god," Sally said in terror.

The tied up crewmembers began to scream as the form of Dorothy Catalonia began to melt away. Her skin began to melt off revealing a dark slimy layer of flesh soaked in blood. Her face literally melted off and her eyes exploded as the group looked on. What was left of Dorothy's head resembled a glob of silica gel that began to pulsate. Hands began to contort and expand in length into grotesque tentacle-like appendages.

"Yuy! For God's sake burn her!" Lady Une shouted trying to break free of her bonds.

"Quatre! Sally! Blast her!"

The creature jumped onto the ceiling looking down at the people below. It let out a growl. Quatre aimed the torch but tensed up. He then began to cry.

"Quatre! It's not Dorothy. She's dead and this thing took her form!" Sally shouted and took aim. Quatre knocked her out of the way. "Quatre!"

The thing jumped down and Quatre was face to face with it trembling. Suddenly the head broke up revealing two parts of a mouth line with fangs. A tentacle lashed out and seized Quatre by the throat. It then began to force him down its mouth.

"QUATRE!" Sally shouted and unleashed a stream of flame at the creature. It threw the cook's body to the ground and ran past the doctor. Quatre lied there with his face torn up and covered with blood. Sally then burned the blood on the floor. Heero then followed it as the creature broke through the wall and ran out into the snow.

"Bastard!" Heero shouted and lit a stick of explosive. He hurled it at the flaming beast and took cover. The explosion blew the thing to pieces and sent Heero through the hole in the wall. He freed himself from his daze and looked as the remains burned. In side he could hear a flamethrower go off. He returned to the rec room and found Quatre's body in flames. "Well we know the test works."

After extinguishing the flames Heero then continued with the test. Next in line was Hilde. Heero lowered the wire and loud hiss was all that happened and Hilde sighed with relief. Sally then cut her loose

Hilde approached Duo and stuck out her tongue. "Told you I was human you dumb bastard!"

"So I was wrong. Don't rub it in."

Next was Catherine. She began to shake and Heero lowered the wire into her blood. Nothing happened. Heero scratched his head and Catherine began to shake.

"Oh. I forgot to heat the wire." Catherine sighed with relief as Heero reheated the wire. Again he lowered it into the blood and was met by a loud hiss. Tears ran down Catherine's face as the results proved her to be human. Hilde then released her.

Heero then faced the last four, who were still tied up. "Ah the final four. The saga continues."

"Just get on with it Yuy!" Wufei shouted.

"Now. Now. No need to be rude. We'll check Lady Une next."

"Asshole," Wufei mumbled.

Heero lowered the wire into the dish and again there was only a loud hiss. Lady Une sighed. "Well are you going to release me?" She asked. Catherine cut her loose and she joined the group by the lab table.

"Now Wufei."

"Finally."

Heero dragged the hot wire across Wufei's blood and nothing but hiss came out of it.

"Oh yeah. Cut me loose." The crowd looked at him. "Earth to dumb bitches. Cut me loose."

"Maybe we should just leave him like that," Catherine laughed.

"Yeah he's much better tied up," sally added.

"Come on! Cut me loose."

"Not until you apologize."

"Listen you stupid bitches! Cut me loose or so help me I'll…" He was met by two blowtorches and a flamethrower. "Guys a little help?"

"Wufei, you need to learn women do not like to be called stupid or dumb bitches or whatever foul thing you think up." Treize sighed.

"Yeah man. How are you ever going to get any?"

"Shut up!" Wufei shouted. "Heero, cut me loose."

"Sorry but they got me out gunned."

"What? You have explosives for crying out loud!"

"Say you're sorry and we'll cut you loose," Lady Une said as she lifted a scalpel.

"Fine I'm sorry I called you a bunch of dumb bitches. Baka onnas."

"That also includes calling us things in other languages," Catherine said aiming her torch at him.

"Sorry." They cut him loose and he joined the group by the table.

"Gentlemen. This is it. You're the last two." He said staring at Duo and Treize. "If you are these things you must know we have a numerical advantage. If you're human that's all for the better."

"Do it." Treize said angrily.

"One last thing. You both are on opposite pieces of furniture so if one is infected we need not worry about burning the other as well."

"Do it man!" Duo shouted.

"Duo first." Heero heated up the wire.

"Hilde babe. Now I'll prove to you that I'm human."

"We'll see," she said aiming a blowtorch at him.

Heero heated up the wire and lowered it into Duo's blood. As the wire made contact it leapt out and ran towards Duo. The pilot's body began to shake and his face split in half to reveal a hideous insect like one. Duo's abdomen burst open revealing a mouth from which a tentacle emerged. Hilde wasted no time and turned the torch up full blast. A meter long flame seared at the creature's flesh, which resulted in piercing howls of an unimaginable caliber. She kept the torch on the creature throughout the ordeal with the flame just below its head. After several minutes the creature slumped over and fell to the ground.

"Duo was a great guy," Treize said they extinguished the body.

"We'll get a stretcher later and take it outside to be burned," Heero said as he again heated the wire. "Now its your turn Treize." The station commander watched silently as Heero exposed the wire to the blood. Again nothing but a hiss.

"Well I think we are now satisfied. What do you say we put an end to this nonsense? First could you cut loose? I am patient man but I WOULD LIKE TO GET OFF THIS GODDAMN COUCH SOMETIME SOON!"

They cut their commander free and took the body of Duo outside. They then lit it ablaze and returned inside and began to patch the whole in the rec room. After a while things began to calm down until Heero remembered something.

"Shit! I forgot about Relena."

"Yeah better test her," Wufei said fastening a flamethrower to his back. "She was crazy before I would hate to think what she would be like if she was one of those things."

"Well then we have to go to the tool shed and test her," Treize said pulling on his parka.

"Oh by the way," Heero said removing the holster from his side. "You should have this back." He handed the pistol back to Treize.

"Thanks."

"Noin, Zechs, Trowa, Dorothy, Quatre, and now Duo. Damn those aliens!" Catherine shouted. "If she is one Heero, promise me you will hesitate to burn her."

"To be safe I don't think I should be the one to do it. Hilde you're coming with me and Treize. Put on a flamethrower and lets get going." Heero then turned to the rest. "If Relena should try to get and we're not with her torch her."

"Count on it," Wufei said as he headed towards the supply room.

With that the three headed out into the storm.

Secured by towline Heero, Hilde, and Treize began their trek to the tool shed where the young biologist was being held. The snow pelted them with ferocity and the winds nearly blow them away as they approached their goal. When they got there they found the door open and being held upon by the wind. They rushed inside.

"Where the hell is she?" Heero asked as he looked around.

"Heero the only way to open that door is from the outside," Hilde said concerned. "How did she open it?"

"Probably by sliding a tentacle under the door," Treize said cocking his gun. "You think incendiary shells will do any good?"

"It hates fire so I think that should work." Heero then began to look around using a flare to illuminate the darkened building. He carefully observed every floorboard until one broke under his feet. "What the?" Holding the flare to the ground Heero knelt as the others watched. "Son of a…" He then began to remove the surrounding floorboards.

"Hm. This is getting interesting," Treize said as he crouched down. "There's a tunnel under the shed."

Hilde then approached and descended into the tunnel followed by her two companions. "Relena! Relena are you there? We have something for you. As she exited the tunnel and walked out into a cavity in the ice she noticed a metallic object. "You guys look at this."

Heero and Treize then entered and the light of the flare revealed a circular craft in the middle surrounded by tools.

"What the hell is this," she asked.

"Some sort of ship," Treize replied. "Looks like she made it with the remains of the VTOLs"

"But why?"

"To get the hell out of here," Heero replied.

Meanwhile back at the camp Wufei was watching the supply room window, which had just been fixed. He stood there prepared to kill Relena if she entered alone.

In the hallway Lady Une and Dorothy patrolled the inside while Sally sat in the lab placing all the notes and files into a metal case.

The camp was silent and eerie.

Back at the tool shed Heero and Treize finished tying explosives together when Hilde shouted. They approached her to find her pointing at something that was moving.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"From the color of the coat I'd say Wufei," Treize replied.

Just then the power went out.

"What the?" Hilde said as she looked at the darkened camp. Soon the emergency lights went on.

"It must have got back in and turned off the power," Heero said lighting a flare.

"But if the power is off then the temperature will go down to about a hundred below," Treize said staring into the storm.

"Maybe that's what it wants, to freeze again. However I don't think we should let it. Lets head back in and find the others. Then I say we hunt this damn thing down and destroy it."

"How Heero?" Hilde asked.

"Any means necessary."


	7. Chapter 7: Breakdown

ESUN Outpost 21

Chapter 7: Breakdown

Heero and Treize readied the explosives as Hilde stood watch. Taking care of the ship would be easy but then came the hard part, killing the monster. Heero thought about killing Relena before but his time it was different, _she was already dead_. Lighting the explosives the three hurried outside and ran to the main building. The tool shed and its immediate surroundings exploded lighting up the area.

Back inside they were greeting by Catherine and Lady Une holding lanterns. Sally soon joined them.

"Was she?" Catherine asked.

"Yes," Heero replied.

"She was building some type of ship to escape in too. I think it acquired mechanical knowledge from Duo," Treize said checking his gun.

"How?" Hilde asked confused. "I torched the copy."

"Telepathy I guess. Its alien so there is a lot we don't know."

"In any case where is Wufei?" Heero asked.

"Haven't seen him in a while," Lady Une replied.

"I saw him run outside before the power went out," Hilde said.

"Think it got to him?" Catherine asked.

"Don't know," Heero replied. "But watch out for him just in case."

"So did it get inside?" Sally asked concerned.

"Most likely," Treize replied. "It probably still looks like Relena. If you see her don't hesitate to kill her."

"How? It can regenerate," Hilde asked.

"Burn it," Treize replied. "We still have flame throwers and torches."

"That might not work," Heero interrupted. "When we were chasing the dogs the damn thing increased its size considerably. He may need something else."

"I don't thin we have anything that inflicts extensive damage on a cellular level," said Sally.

"Guns are useless in that case," Treize added. "Even incendiary rounds have their limits."

"We could hose down in fuel and light it," said Hilde.

"But how de we make sure we got it all," Lady Une interrupted. "Napalm would work but we don't have any."

"Thermite is risky," Heero added. "Besides it doesn't last long. Why not electrocute it?"

"If it trashed the generator then that's pointless."

"Yet if it still intact there maybe a chance. Hilde?"

"I'm not as good as Wufei but I can get that thing running as long as it isn't badly damaged."

"Then lets do it," Treize said assertively.

"Wait a minute," Sally said as she dug through her pockets. "These might come in handy." She handed each of them a small capsule.

"Poison?" Hilde asked.

"I don't think it can imitate dead life forms so this may save you from agony. If it gets you bite down."

"This is becoming more suicidal every minute," Heero laughed. "Lets go."

In the lower basement they found the generator to be intact but missing a few parts. Hilde quickly fixed it and they prepared their trap. Installing copper wire underneath the floorboards in the basement they hoped to electrocute the monstrosity. However just to be safe they still had the flamethrowers and blowtorches and Heero made Molotov cocktails. Patiently they waited for the thing to show up.

"Is it coming?" Sally asked tightening her scarf.

"It knows we're here," Treize replied.

"Think it caught on?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly the ground began to shake.

"Get ready," Heero said and motioned to Hilde prepare to turn on the generator.

Then it burst through the ground. A large distorted mass with tentacles leapt towards them.

"NOW!"

Hilde threw the switch and the creature howled. Heero could see the skin begin to smoke from the high voltage. As the monster wailed and shook Heero then noticed something.

"Damn it! The bastard is under the ground."

"What?" Treize shouted.

"This is only a small piece. Fucker broke it off."

"Then where is it?" Lady Une asked.

The ground began to break apart and tentacles shot out.

"RUN!"

They dashed up the stairs and Heero hurled a Molotov at the creature, which skillfully evaded it. Upstairs they bolted the door shut. They relaxed but all too soon. The creature began to crush the door with its mass and finally broke. Panicked they ran and separated. Hilde and Sally ran into the infirmary.

"Hilde turn on the torch"

"Right," Hilde said turning on the blowtorch.

They looked around but were met with eerie silence.

"Guys?" Hilde shouted. But again silence.

The door began to creek and Sally grabbed a bottle of alcohol from the table. She then placed a piece of cloth inside and prepared to light it. But there was only silence.

"Guess it's gone," Hilde said

"Yeah," Sally sighed.

Then a large claw broke through the outside wall and seized Hilde. Sally lit the alcohol but hesitated to throw it because of the monster's captive. It tore the torch off Hilde and dug its claw in deeper. Hilde began to cough up blood and knowing she was done for bit down on the poison capsule in her mouth. It then yanked her still body outside. Sally hurled the bottle but it landed in the snow. Then a tentacle broke through the window and knocked the young doctor to the ground forcing the capsule out of her mouth. Sally soon found herself surrounded by tentacles and other ghastly appendages. The blowtorch was smashed and she found not other weapon. She fumbled through the desk and found a syringe and a bottle of morphine. At least death will be peaceful, she thought. However unwilling to consign herself to darkness she made a break for the door and ran out. But it followed her.

Knowing she was trapped Sally ran into the bathroom. She stood terrified as it tried to reach under the door. Sally filled the syringe with morphine and after acknowledging she had a fatal dose injected herself with it. A short euphoria set in before she drifted off.

Meanwhile Heero and Treize looked for their companions amid the noise. Both men were armed: Treize with his gun and Molotov and Heero with a flamethrower. They traveled down the dark hallway looking for any sign of their lost companions.

"Catherine! Sally! Lady Une! Hilde!" Treize shouted.

"They're probably dead," Heero said depressed.

"You're probably right."

They approached the infirmary and found a large hole in the wall. On closer inspection they found the remains of a parka.

"Its Hilde's," Heero said.

They looked outside to find the girl's body lying in the snow torn up.

"Why didn't it absorb her?" Treize asked.

Heero got closer and soon detected the smell or burnt almonds. "She used her capsule. Maybe Sally was right it only absorbs live organisms."

"Sure it's not a fake?"

"What would be the point of imitating cyanide?"

"Gotcha."

They headed back in and started into the hallway. They then noticed the bathroom door was smashed in on the lower portion. Opening it they found Sally lying on the floor dead with a syringe a few inches away.

"And then there were four," Treize said sadly.

"Fuck it!" Heero shouted. "Lets just up and torch the goddamn place!"

"What?"

"Lets blow the motherfucker to hell! We can raise the temperature in the process preventing it from sleeping. What do you say?"

"I think you lost it."

"We have nothing left to lose. At this rate its going to get us anyway so I say we stand and fight."

Treize thought for a minute. "All right! Lets do it."

They ran into the supply room and took out all of the explosives. Heero then took all of the liquor out of the bar. Together they attached the explosives to fuel drums. Heero then turned all of the flaming spirits into Molotovs.

They readied the last drum and mad for the stairs. Just then the wall broke open and a large claw came out and landed on top of Treize severing his abdomen in two. Heero fell back as he watched his commander's guts fall out. The creature then lifted the living half of Treize and began to wrap itself around it. Tentacles penetrated what was left of the man and slowly his flesh bonded to the tentacles. Heero watched in silence as the hideous creature assimilated Treize. Soon it was all over. Heero then turned on his flamethrower and sprayed the creature.

"Burn you fucking bastard! BURN!" It soon flung out a tentacle and sent Heero into a wall knocking off the flamethrower. Then another knocked him through a wall leading to the outside.

Shaking off his daze Heero noticed a small snow tractor near him and got in. He turned the key and it started up. "Okay asshole! Lets go!" Heero drove the tractor right into the building. The thing saw him and charged. The tractor collided with the beast but it held its ground. "Damn you!" Heero stepped on the gas and the tractor plowed into the creature. Just then it opened up revealing a familiar face. "Relena?" The face smiled as a tentacle wrapped around Heero's coat. "Goddammit!"

"Heero," it said.

"Huh?"

"Heero, you wouldn't hurt me would you?"

"NO!"

"Would you?"

"She's dead."

"Heero."

"STOP FUCKING WITH ME!"

"Will you kill me?"

"Knock it off."

"Bastard."

"Join us Heero," another voice said, this time Treize.

"Why can't you leave them alone?"

"Join us," the voices said in unison.

Heero struggled with tentacle wrapped around his waist that began to burn through his gloves. He managed to reach his knife and cut himself free.

"Join us."

" You know I said this a lot," he said removing his foot from the gas pedal. "But this time I mean it. I WILL KILL YOU!" He stepped on the gas and drove the creature through the wall. In retaliation it threw him from the tractor. Heero got up and noticed it was approaching. He then noticed the tanks of venier fuel. Thinking fast he pulled an explosive stick form his pocket and lit the fuse. "SEE YOU IN HELL!" Tossing the stick he ran off. A massive explosion tore the camp apart and loud screaming could be heard. Fires raged in the darkness of the night.

In the wreckage a figure moved. It was Heero covered in blankets and holding bottles of brandy. He sat down close to the fire and began to warm his hand. He knew he had to stay warm or risk frostbite or hypothermia. There were footsteps and he turned his head to find Wufei covered in snow.

"You the only survivor."

"Where were you?" Heero asked shivering

"I thought I saw Relena and I went out after her. Is it dead?"

"I don't know."

Just then more footsteps approached. It was Lady Une and Catherine.

"Good somebody made it," Lady Une said as she sat beside them.

"Where were you two?" Heero asked.

"After we were separated we went out into the storm and got lost," Catherine replied as she sat down.

"Four of us, are you who you say you are?" Wufei asked.

"That's a moot point right now," Heero laughed. "Its not like we do anything if any of us are."

"Well, what do we do?" Lady Une asked.

"Lets wait here for a while," Heero replied. "There isn't much else we can do."

Wufei then removed a plastic bag from his coat. "The last of the pot. Anybody want a drag?" They all reached their hands out.

"Better to die laughing," Heero laughed.

"What about the alcohol?" Catherine asked as she nestled against Heero.

"Why not," he said passing a bottle around.

"Will we make it?" Lady Une asked puffing a joint.

"Maybe its better if we don't," said Wufei.

"But the rescue team!"

"There is nothing we can do. Maybe recording survived though. I hid it in the safe." Heero said finishing his joint. "Now lets concentrate on staying warm.

The fires burned through the night as silence filled the land.

The End.


End file.
